The 2200 Series
by Nautica7mk
Summary: One event changed everything.
1. 2200 Taken

**Title**: 2200 - Taken

**Author**: Nadia Mack

**Rated**: K+

**Spoilers**: Season 4

**Summary**: One event changed everything.  
**Disclaimer**: I Own Nothing

**Author's Notes**: Yay! I've finally had this story moved here. This will come in three updates. The first is relatively short, setting up the events that follows (which are pretty long). Originally, this was divided into three stories. 2200 Taken, 2200 Aftermath and 2200 Resurrection. Some of you that have already read this know this story as the 2200 Series, which is what I named it for so people don't get lost if I had posted it separately. I hope those who haven't read it enjoys it, this was one of my favorites.

**Smallville, Kansas 2007**

Tension is running high in the Kent family. Just when they thought they've seen the last of Lionel Luthor, his investigation on Clark Kent had suddenly resurfaced. Unbeknownst to the Kents, as well as his son, Lex Luthor, Lionel had silently been continuing his quest to discover all of Clark's secrets.

It was just a few weeks ago when the family had celebrated their son's wedding to Lois Lane. The confident strong young woman who came into their lives just three years earlier. The ceremony was small and intimate. Taking place on a pier between Metropolis' skyscrapers and the bay's luminescent back drop.

It was beautiful.

Their happiness came to an abrupt end when a close friend was given information that a private department in the D.O.D (Department of Defense) have been gathering and conducting evidence of the bizarre unexplainable things that occur in Smallville. Worst of all, their main suspect was Clark Kent.

And nothing would ever be the same.

**1900 - Kent Home**

"Lois, what are you going to do?" Chloe asked nervously. She knew better than anyone - well, next to Clark of course, that when Lois Lane sets her sight on something, there's no stopping her from achieving it. She'd die trying first.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." Lois rushed into her closet and drew back a backpack. Unzipping it, Chloe was surprised to see what was in it.

She watched as Lois checked the cartridge. "Lois," she spoke again softly. The sight of her older cousin inspecting the gun put her in a state of unease. "Lois, where did you get that?"

Lois looked at her regretfully.

"I'm sorry, Chlo. But I have to do this."

They've been through hell and back. She remembered times that were simpler, less emotionally taxing. When she and Clark finally took the plunge and made it official, their lives were happier. Now, their future just seemed light years away.

"Why couldn't we just wait for Clark and the rest of them?" Chloe asked out loud. She really wanted to know.

She watched her cousin shake her head.

"There's not enough time. This has to end. There's Kryptonite all over that place. If I let him know - bring him with me - I risk losing him. I'm not taking that chance," explained Lois. When she had learned the truth about Clark and his past, at first she was shocked, but the friendship and love that they shared was never tainted because of it.

"Do you even have a plan?"

Lois looked at her cousin once more.

"I thought I'd go in there, guns blazing, a couple C-4's, you know, the regular," she jokingly replied. They both knew this wasn't the time. Lois took a deep breath. "We'll get through this," she added comfortingly.

"What do I say to Clark?" Chloe asked weakly.

Lois reached out and hugged her dear cousin. "You don't have to say anything," she answered softly.

"I can't do that - I can't - Won't lie to him," cried Chloe.

Before she knew it was even there, Chloe felt a quick pinch on the side of her neck.

"I know," she heard Lois say. Chloe saw the sight of the tranquilizer gun fall from Lois's grasp. The room became dizzy; her arms and legs becoming numb. Chloe looked up to Lois. "What... did... no." She collapsed on the bed.

Lois leaves.

**2000 - Kent Home**

The Kent's Arrive home.

"Lois! LOIS!" Clark called out as he super speeded up the stairs. He tried calling her cell, but there was no answer and it wasn't like her not to answer. His parents had tried calling Chloe as well, but there was no luck there, either. 

Martha Kent ran to the answering machine to hear of any messages. There was none.

"DAD!" They heard from upstairs.

Martha and Jonathan hurried to the second floor.

Going into Clark's old room that was changed to fit both him and Lois, they saw Chloe on the bed. Martha put her hand to her mouth.

Her husband moved in front of her. "Is she - " Jonathan reluctantly asks.

"She's alive. She's just asleep," answered Clark. He heard his mother breathe out a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" asked Jonathan.

"I don't know," Clark replied confused. "I came in and saw her, then." He brought the tranquilizer gun up. "I found this." There was only one other person that wasn't in his room at the moment that knew where to find it.

Clark closed his eyes.

"Lois"

**2030 - Military Facility outside of Smallville, KS**

Over the years, Lois had learned well how to dodge security, one of the perks of being a General's daughter. Using the map she had received from a source, she made her way through the labyrinth of tunnels until she reached her destination. What she found scared her.

All around, the wide expanse of the room contained everything Kryptonite. Of course, they didn't know it was called that, but over the past couple of years, she had become too familiar with it and what it could do, particularly when it's anywhere near her husband.

Across the room, a gigantic billboard was laid out, practically taking up the entire back wall. It eerily reminded her of Chloe's 'Wall of Weird.' This time, though, it was a lot more dangerous. This time, a lot more people knew. She didn't have to stare at it for long, knowing all too well that each photo that looked back at her had one way or another intersected their lives.

"You shouldn't be here," someone said from behind. Lois's eyes turn cold. She knew that voice, and she wasn't surprised he was here.

She turned around, hiding her emotions behind a mask she had learned to perfect since she was a child. Lois points the gun towards her father.

"I won't let you do this?"

He made no move. "He's a threat to National Security, Lois," he explains. He didn't have to ask her why and how she got down there. He had a pretty good idea of what she knew.

"National Security?" she mocked. "He's done nothing but help people," she argued.

"If people knew what he was - "

"Careful, General. That's my husband your talking about," she cut him off venomously. She didn't care that Clark is from another planet and that he could do the things no human could achieve. What mattered to her wasn't just because she loved him, no, it went deeper than that. She knew in every fiber of her being that no person, no matter how different they may be, deserved the kind of fate Clark is being threatened with.

"Lois, be rational!" he spoke loudly, trying to get her to understand.

Lois refused to put the gun down. "Oh I'm rational," she exclaimed.

"You'd kill me - You're own father - for HIM. You're willing to pay that price to protect him!" he challenged.

"If it meant keeping him safe from the likes of you, then it's a price I'd pay gladly," she replied back with great conviction. A brief silence befell them.

"How long?" She spoke, her voice barely audible.

"What?"

"How long have you known?" She repeated once more.

The General takes a deep breath. "Three years," he answered.

The day Clark Kent showed up at his niece's burnt safe house, a black-ops division was created to watch and observe. You don't throw a trained soldier 20 feet above ground and 30 feet away and not expect the military to intervene in some manner. Since then, he'd collect, watch, and observe. Mr. Kent's case was always far too different than the others. Eventually, they discovered where exactly he came from, and they knew it wasn't Earth.

If Lois wasn't so focused on the task at hand, she would've decked him right then and there. "Three years," she scoffed. "And the fact that I married him meant nothing to you"

"That was - unexpected." And it's true. It was unexpected. They were like oil and water when they first met. He never for one second thought they would become anything more than friends.

"Unexpected," she angrily repeated. "All this time, you knew. You've watched him struggle, watched people try to hurt him. Torture him. You knew all that and you did NOTHING"

The last three years has been a whirlwind for her. Coming to Smallville, at first it was to discover who killed her cousin, but when she discovered that Chloe was alive, everything that came afterwards threw her by surprise. The biggest was falling in love with one Clark Kent, and she never regretted it.

There was silence.

Both generations stood forth, each unwilling to back down. Lois's arm were steady, General Lane mentally noted that she's had it up for several minutes, and even while they were at odds, he couldn't help but feel incredibly proud of her. If only things could've been different.

"Lois, you're playing with fire"

"Hmm - I've always been fond of the flames." Her eyes flickered with an intensity he has never seen before. He had hoped his mind games would put her off balance, but he knew better. This was his daughter, and he taught her well.

"What can I do to stop this?" he asked, and for a moment, he didn't look like a 3-Star General, for a moment, it was her father; but as fast at it had come, it quickly disappeared.

"Make it go away," she answered. It was all she wanted.

"You know I can't do that"

"Then we'll be standing here a very long time until you do"

The General had just about enough of this and took the initiative to step forward. As he did, he was met with a fast spark by the side of his boot. The smell of burnt rubber permeated through the air. She shot him. She actually pulled the trigger and nearly shot him.

"Lois! Dammit, put the gun down!" He'd forgotten how good of a shot she was.

"Make it. Go. Away." She repeated to him once more.

General Lane thought for a moment. "If I do this, you'll have to do something in return."

Her eyes went wide. "What?"

"I'll protect Clark Kent if you agree never to see him again"

Shaking her head defiantly, "You can't ask me that"

"It's one or the other, Lois. You can't have it both ways."

"Why?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

He remained steadfast. 

"Yes or No, Lo"

Conflict welled in her. Too many people were involved. Too many lives at stake. Agreeing to his offer would mean he and the family she had grown to love dearly would be safe, but at the same time, she may very well never see Clark again. Could she let him go? Will she ever get over it? This isn't just a man, this is her husband and her best friend.

"Time's ticking, Lois. Make your choice"

"How do I know you won't turn your back on your word?"

Sam Lane was saddened by the lack of trust shown from his daughter. Even worst, he knew she had a right to feel that way. Only a small handful knew about Clark Kent. It had to be that way to prevent mistakes.

"This isn't the General promising you, Lois. As your father, I promise I'll protect him"

"Your promises have meant little to me, both as a General and my father. What makes this any different?"

"Because - You're my daughter and I love you"

Suddenly everything began falling apart worst than it did when she realized her husband and everything that was tied to his life was at risk. She felt as if she was drowning. Sometimes she wondered if she and Clark had never left their honeymoon, would the chaos chase after them even then.

Her life suddenly went black.

**2045**

The military base was equipped with tunnels that ran for miles, and it didn't seem to end. General Sam Lane held his unconscious daughter in his arms as he made his way through. About a quarter down the first mile, he caught the sight of a familiar figure.

"Lieutenant, get her to safety," he ordered, gently placing her in his arms.

The Lieutenant noticed the General was preparing to double back. "What about you, General?"

"I'll be fine"

"General?"

General Lane pointed to his daughter. "Protect her with your life, is that understood!"

The soldier stood straight. "Yes, Sir!" As the two were far enough, General Lane turned back around to the other direction.

"I have a promise to keep," he whispered to himself.

He runs back. 

**2100**

Waking dizzily, Chloe sat up uncomfortably.

"Are you all right, Chloe?"

She looked up to meet Mrs. Kent's worried gaze with the feeling of nausea threatening to spill over. It all suddenly came back to her, and it came back to her in full force.

"Oh my god. Lois," she whispered.

Martha lightly gripped her shoulders, steadying her.

"Do you know where Lois went?" Jonathan asked calmly, moving besides his wife. The last couple of hours had been difficult. Clark had found the research documents on himself while searching for his watch in one of Lois's suitcases. He didn't know what to think, because he hadn't been able to contact her.

And it worried him.

Chloe remained silent. Not knowing what to say.

"Chloe, please," pleaded Martha. "If you know where Lois is - "

"I don't," she sadly admitted. "I don't know where exactly she went, but I know it's at the base." As if on cue, Jonathan reached into his pocket and dialed Clark's cell number. Relaying to him what Chloe had just revealed. He left 10 minutes earlier to see if he could find any traces of her that would indicate where she had gone. This is the closest break they have gotten.

**2110**

Clark ran faster than he ever had before. Running at practically the speed of light, getting into the base was relatively easy, but the area was massive, no doubting the different levels and passageways existing for top-level projects making his job a little harder. After receiving the phone call from his dad, he quickly made haste.

Searching, his super hearing catches a crackling sound. 

Focusing, he saw the reason.

Fire.

He stopped close enough to get a better look, but far enough that nobody saw him. An entire 2-floor building was engulfed in flames.

Nervously, he scanned the area. His mind reeling over the possibilities.

Suddenly...

He sensed her, her heartbeat.

His rhythm.

He quickly ran to her, but was stopped by an officer.

"Let me through," he commanded. Clark watched another officer place his wife behind a military owned van. She wasn't moving and it scared him. "What's wrong with her? Where the hell are you taking her, she's my wife?"

"Let her go, Mr. Kent," a voice spoke from behind.

Clark spun around. "General?" His eyes go wide, then angry. "You did this?"

"It wasn't suppose to go down like this"

"I'm not letting you take her," he spun around once more to get to her but the second he reached her side, pain took over his body. He collapsed just seconds of holding her hand. Grasping for breath, he looked up to see General Lane approach him.

And take out something in his pocket.

Kryptonite.

"I know these things make you weak," he says, watching Clark Kent wither in pain. "I don't know who you are, or what you want, but I'll be damned if I let you take her down with you."

"Please," Clark pleaded, his body continues to weaken. "Don't."

The General bent down. "I won't kill you. But if you go anywhere near her... I will. The vehicle is filled with a lot of these green rocks, don't think of even following."

He straightened himself out and headed to the passenger's seat. Closing the door, he sped off.

With everything that mattered to him.

Clark looked on with nothing but tears streaming down his face before seeing watching his life, his future, disappear.

**2130**

Clark super speeded back to the Kent Farm, informing Chloe and his parents what had happened. With their shocked expressions, they quickly put their heads together to figure out how to find Lois, and with Chloe's help, they surely did.

Upon arriving at General Lane's office, Clark busted through the door.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

The General looked up from his desk.

"You won't find her here."

Clark's anger rose up ten folds, speeding towards him like a runaway freight train, but stopped inches from his so-called father-in-law before taking a hold of his collar and slamming him against the wall. Martha and Jonathan looked on from behind, unable to make themselves move.

"WHERE'S MY WIFE!"

"She isn't your wife any longer"

The young man's eyes turned cold. All feeling of control fading away. He could only think of one thing.

One person.

His wife.

"Clark," Martha mumbled weakly from behind. She looked at Jonathan, tears welling in her eyes. Both parents looking absolutely helpless. Chloe stood next to them, failure to help her cousin eating up at her and numbness slowly devouring her. She wanted to throw up.

"Are you going to kill me, Mr. Kent," he challenged. "Because if you do, you'll be proving to me exactly what I always thought you were."

Clark's grip grasped tighter. Both men not willing to back down.

"What do you want from me?" Clark tried to make himself calm down, but he couldn't. Despair and not being able to see his wife is destroying him.

"Let go of me and I'll tell you."

**2137**

General Sam Lane exited the complex but was surprised to see Mrs. Martha Kent follow.

"How could you do this?" She yelled out angrily. "How could you do this to your own daughter?"

"I'm doing what's best for her, Mrs. Kent"

"Best? BEST? By refusing to let MY SON see his own wife, THIS is what's best for her? To whom exactly, Sam. To them or for yourself."

"Don't call me - "

"Don't," she stopped him. "You may be the General to an entire Army but you're not a General to me. You're supposed to protect and serve. But instead, you're taking away OUR children's happiness"

"I can't protect her if her life is in constant danger around him, that is the reason why"

"You're not trying to convince anyone but yourself"

"She is my daughter!"

"She's mine too. And when she learns about all of this, and by God, she will. She will never forgive YOU. She will hate YOU."

"Good day, Mrs. Kent"

It was the last time General Sam Lane ever set foot in Smallville.

And the last time Clark Kent would ever see his wife.

**2200 - Long Term Care Facility in Blue Cove, Delaware**

In a room were machines monitoring vital signs.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A woman lay in bed, her head motioning from side to side before opening her eyes where she was met by bright luminescent light that pierced her eyes fiercely. She tries to motion her arms and legs, and though they felt numb, she was relieved that she could move. Forcefully clearing her vision, a figure of a man stood beside her.

"Who?" She began softly, the light still clouding her vision "Who are you?" She shook her head once more, clearing her head. "Where am I?"

"Relax, take it easy. You're safe." The man briefly explained that he was her doctor.

"Where am I?" She asked once more.

The doctor ignored the question.

"Do you know your name?" he questioned.

She lifted her hand to her head, massaging her temples.

"Lois... Lane," she answered in-between breaths.

"And do you know what day it is, Ms. Lane?"

She took a deep breath. Closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Thinking back, the last thing she remembered heading to Cancun for spring break.

"April..." She couldn't quite remember the date. But the year... "2004," she answered with confidence. "It's the year 2004," she said once more.

The look on the doctor's face made Lois wish she couldn't see as clear as she did when she first woke up. 

"What's wrong?" She wondered.

"Ms. Lane," he began monotonously. "It's September 21, 2007"

Lois looked at him like he was certifiably insane.

"What?"

**End of 2200**


	2. 2200 Aftermath

**Metropolis - Present Day**

_Metropolis 2012. _

It's happening again. I have just awoken yet from another dream, and here's the cruel part, I could never remember what it was about the moment I wake up. These dreams, or whatever they were, they began shortly after I woke up from a 6-month coma after having a near-fatal car accident.

The dreams stopped coming after a year, and since then, I've lived a relatively normal life. As normal as I claimed it to be, anyway.

My father, who's a General in the U.S. Military, and my doctor, revealed to me that the car accident that left me incapacitated for six months left me with temporary amnesia. Well, at least that's what they diagnosed me with until it was made clear that not a single memory was coming back.

That first year was hard. I went through it like a pain in the ass. I was angry most of the time. I lost practically three years of my life, and it's not the sort of thing you can get back, so how else was I suppose to feel. I felt like a child again, having to re-acclimate myself into society. "You'll just have to readjust," my father said. Yeah right! All I wanted to do was fall back into that coma.

My doctors encouraged me to carry a journal. Haven't exactly opened this book in like, forever. I was never much into scribbling my feelings in a bounded book that's itching to fall into enemy hands, but I just couldn't bring myself to talk to a shrink. Even now, five years four months three weeks two days and an odd number of hours later, I still can't talk about it.

Eventually, I forced myself to move on. I spent the next couple of years studying in Germany. Trying to start fresh. And for a while it worked, but there was always that nagging feeling that things aren't right. I've tried getting in touch with my cousin Chloe in Kansas, but she never returned any of my phone calls, or even my letters. Till this day, I still don't know what went wrong. Even my little sister Lucy kept me at arms length. Why that is, was always the question with me. I guess something happened in those three years that drifted us apart, I just wished I knew what it was, so I too, could move on.

But now, I'm living in Metropolis, the great city of tomorrow. I've been ghost writing for Perry White at the world-renowned Daily Planet for a couple of years, usually going under an alias named Teri Hatcher. I've made quite a reputation, despite my avid use of discretion. I hate recognition. Do I like attention? Sure. I've dated millionaires, politicians, even royalty, but none of them went anywhere. Things usually ended before it truly got started. I never understood why I'm so commitment phobic, but I deal.

But if only these dreams would stop waking me up at night, maybe I could do something about it.

Oh, and I just remembered. Tomorrow is the first day I officially start work using my real name. That should prove interesting. Perry has been urging me to come forward. That I already have an audience out there that regularly read my work. But it worried me a bit though, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I don't want my name published out there for the world to see.

Well, at least I wouldn't be starting my day alone. Perry had just informed me the day before that I'll be working with a partner.

A partner, huh? Never done that before. I have sources from top to bottom, and worked with them once in a while, but on a regular basis? That should prove interesting. Till then, I'm going to pop a few sleeping pills and try to get some sleep.

Lois Lane

**Daily Planet**

Lois Lane stood in an elevator waiting to reach the 50th floor. The Daily Planet News Room is where it all starts, and it is where it all finishes. She's been up there on more than a few times, occasionally admiring the hard workers and the stories they've printed.

For three years she'd been writing, she felt a sense of release and accomplishment every time she had an article printed. Even though her real name was never used in the byline, it was the hope that her articles would influence change that mattered to her most.

_Ding_. The elevator stopped, reaching it's desired floor.

Lois took a deep breath and walked out and into the main floor.

From left to right, people from all corners of the area were scattered, mumbling words and phrases as a couple of publishers were screaming out about deadlines. It's the type of atmosphere that drives a reporter. As stressful as it can get, they love every minute of it.

Reaching Mr. White's office, Lois knocked on the door.

"Lois! You made it," he guided her into his office excitedly. He had, in a way, taken her in like a mentor. Guided and advised her of the ins and outs of investigative reporting.

"How's your morning, Chief?"

"Nothing that a nice mug of whiskey can't fix," he replied rather sarcastically. "Here, grab a chair, you're new partner will be here in a minute. You'll like him, Lane. A real go-getter. A little odd sometimes, but he can write, and he's quick on his feet - Just like you"

"That's great Chief, but - " He cuts her off.

"No, no buts. I've thoroughly gone through both your work, and you two seem to have similar writing styles." Before Lois could protest, Perry continues. "But, there's still that signature Lane-style that's all of your own. I want you two together."

Lois resigned to her fate. This guy better be everything Perry claims him to be.

"Not much for attendance, is he Chief?" She mused after taking a look at her watch.

"I could say the same for you, kiddo." He winks at her playfully. "Come on, Lane. You two will click"

"For your sake..." She muttered under her breath, just an earshot from where her boss is standing.

Lois felt the sudden urge to put her feet on his desk, but another person's voice took her out of intended pursuit of comfort.

"Mr. White," the voice spoke out.

"Well if it isn't Farm Boy Kansas himself," Perry White exclaimed, patting his newest employee on the back, looking nothing like the plaid wearing teenager in Smallville. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all," he smiled.

"Thanks, Mr. White," he replied.

"You can call me, Chief"

"Thanks Chief," he smiled once again.

It was this time that Lois Lane made her presence known and turned around to greet this new partner of hers.

And when their eyes lock.

"Hi." The man said with wide-eyes.

Lois looked at him closely. Sizing him up from top to bottom. He was tall, a little over 6 feet. With jet-black hair that is neatly combed and a dark suit & tie, with a white collared dress shirt underneath. He didn't look half bad. But there was something in his eyes that seemed... she wasn't quite sure. Familiar, maybe.

"Well, Lane, have some manners, will you, shake the boys' hand." He gestures to her new partner. "Lois Lane, I'd like you to meet you're new partner, Clark Kent."

The two strangers continued to stare at one another before Lois instinctually extended her hand to greet his.

"Hello," she said dryly.

Clark reluctantly shook her hand.

The moment they touched, a brief shock was felt and Lois immediately retrieved her hand back. Clark shyly placed his hands behind his back.

_This can't be possible_, Clark thought to himself.

Perry White looked back and forth between Lane and Kent. Lane and Kent, he liked the sound of that. Then, he noticed the odd tension between them that seemed to come out of nowhere. A huge grin spread across his face. He knew these two would have a connection.

If only he knew how deep that connection truly went.

After a moment, Perry started to get a little annoyed. "Well - I'll leave you two to get to know each other." He turned to Lois. "Why don't you show your partner where he'll be sitting," he ordered subtly more than he asked. "There's a file on your desk I want you two investigating pronto." When he noticed neither of them moved. "What is this? An aquarium. Stop staring and start investigating. I'm paying you two to write me stories, now chop, chop, chop..." He clapped as he pushed the two reporters outside.

"I - Uh..." Clark was at a lost for words.

Lois finally broke out of her trance. "I'm not impressed," she finally says.

Clark is taken by surprise. Did she just insult him?

Lois walks right pass him. Clark was stumbling as he followed whenshe stopped at an empty desk. "This is your station," she pointed down. "The one over there is mine. Do what you do best, and I'll do mine. The cafeteria is two floors down, and there are restrooms in every floor. You want Perry's attention, I usually barge in unannounced, but if you feel like taking a number, then be my guest. If you need anything, feel free to ask anyone but me. Any questions?" A pause. "Good. Have fun."

Clark stared, his mouth hanging open. Lois Lane. The one person he believed he'd never see again. She came into his life unexpectedly once. In the same lifetime, she had managed to do it again.

He watched her head to her desk that was literally in front of his. He would be working alongside her. Side by side. As partners. Clark's mind reeled with so many questions. How was it possible? She's okay, she's real and she's right in front of him.

When the feelings couldn't be held much longer, Clark abruptly rises.

"Jesus, Kent." Lois looked up from her computer. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

He's beginning to think so himself. "Excuse me," was all he could utter before running out of the news room.

Back at her desk, Lois looked at him curiously. Thinking back to what Perry said. "Odd, Chief?" She scrunched her nose. "What about weird," she answered herself.

In the men's room, Clark quickly shut the door and half-nearly collapsed in half-hazard breaths.

"Lois," he whispered. He leaned on the countersink for support and fumbly removed his wire-rimmed glasses. Memories he had forced deeply away into his mind had resurfaced.

Drenching his face with cold water, he looked at himself in the mirror where he could see the tears falling from his eyes no matter how much he tried to hide it.

Click.

Another person walks into the restroom. Clark quickly grabs a paper towel, and puts his glasses back on. It's going to take all the power he has to walk back into that newsroom.

**Smallville, Kansas**

"Are you sure, son?" Jonathan Kent asked once again. He needed to hear it more times than one. He felt the warmth of Martha's hand intertwine with his.

His parent's gesture didn't go unnoticed by Clark, and he was overcome by longing.

Staring at his parent's hands. "I'm sure," he replied with even more sadness.

"Oh, sweetheart," Martha couldn't bear to watch her son suffer so much. She let go of her husbands hand and rushed to embrace her boy.

Hugging her, Clark sobbed. "She doesn't remember, mom." He held on tighter. "General Lane wasn't bluffing, she doesn't remember a thing," he hatefully admitted.

"That son of a..." Jonathan began only to be cut off by his wife.

"Jonathan, please. Not now."

His wife was right. Clark needed them. There was already one person in this family that hated General Lane, having two under one roof won't help anyone's cause.

"What are we going to do?" Jonathan reluctantly asked. Clark was in a very fragile state right now. There has been some major decisions made the last few months, having the person his son thought was lost forever suddenly emerge in his life had just nearly sent his mind off the deep end.

"I don't know," Clark answered, unsure. "I don't know if I can do this. Work with her like this."

"Clark," Martha softly tried to assure. "You'll get through this"

"I lost her once, mom. I don't know if I could do it again," he says honestly. "I don't know if I could take it." Clark wanted desperately to disappear.

"You have to be strong son, not just for you, but for Lois, too," says his father.

His eyes shoot up. "I wasn't strong enough then," he angrily spat out, his emotions getting the better of him. "How could I be strong now?"

Jonathan pulled his son into his embrace and softly but honestly spoke in his ear. "Because if you don't, then you would have failed her... and yourself. Remember son, she may not know it, but she's still your wife."

As father and son part, Clark wipes the tears from his eyes. "That's going to be hard when only one of us is aware of that fact." He looked between his mom and dad for assurance. "How do I get her back?"

"One day at a time, Clark," encouraged his mother. "It's been five years, a lot has probably happened for her. You have to be patient and figure out all the facts. You're our son and we know you'll figure out a way, but you have to consider Lois's place, too. She's as much a victim as you are."

"Thanks mom. Dad."

The three hug.

**Smallville Ledger**

"Have you found anything?" Clark asks impatiently.

"For the 7th time the last hour and half, No!" Answered Chloe along with a frustrated look. Ever since she had gotten a call at 3:40 am in the morning by her childhood friend, Clark Kent, they had spent the rest of that morning researching Lois's whereabouts for the last five years.

"I can't believe it's really her," she says out loud. When Clark told her what had happened earlier that day, at first it didn't quite fully register to her. But when it sunk, questions that had no doubt clouded her best friends mind, clouded hers as well.

Clark sighs. "I'm still recovering, Chloe. You should've seen her. She didn't recognize me at all." He leaned back into his chair, completely helpless.

"Where could she have been the last five years?" Wondered Chloe. The other surprising thing that she learned was that she worked alongside Clark as a reporter. She knew that her cousin took classes on journalism in college, it never once dawned on her that she would take it as a serious profession.

"That's what I was hoping you would figure out. I'll be heading back to Metropolis in an hour, and I'm really nervous about being around her. Can you believe that? Me? Nervous around my own wife?" He slumps on the desk, burying his face beneath his arms. "If only she knew she was even my wife."

"Come on, Clark. We can't give up. You two found each other again, didn't you. Even if neither of you expected it to, you did. We've seen a lot of bizarre things here in Smallville, but fate is in a class all of its own, and if this isn't a sign, I don't know what is."

Chloe hated watching her friend go through this hell. She had seen it before, and as much as she tried to comfort him, the pain never withered away. It hurt him more dangerously than any Kryptonite. Now it was happening all over again.

Her computer started beeping. Clark looked up, and so did Chloe. The information they found was surprising, yet a letdown. Basic information of Lois's school records. Apparently, she had spent a couple of years in Germany studying, but other than that, there wasn't much that they didn't already know.

"This is useless!" Clark wanted to scream. "How did she get a job at the Daily Planet without so much as an article out there?" He tries to stop acting like a husband and start acting like a reporter.

A thought dawned on Chloe. "An alias," she whispered.

Clark barely paid attention. "What?"

"An alias," she repeated. "That's it! It has to be, Lois must've been using an alias instead of her name in the byline." She slapped herself lightly on the forehead. "It's so Lois. She hates notoriety. You could probably get her alias through your editor. No one hires a ghostwriter without knowing who they are."

Clark was happy yet sad at the same time. He smiled for Chloe's sake and hugged her thankfully. "Thanks, Chloe. You're the best."

She smiled as well. "What are you going to do now?"

"Got to get back to work, it's my second day and I don't want to be late like the last time. I didn't exactly make a great impression in front of my wi..." He stopped when he realized what he was about to say. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that she doesn't know that I'm her..."

"It's okay, Clark. I understand."

Clark is grateful. "Let me know if you find anything else?"

"You bet I will"

Clark leaves. Chloe looked at her computer before looking down to unlock her desk drawer. Pulling it out, she removed a letter box that was lined with lead. Opening it, she removed its contents.

One after another, letter after letter. Addressed to Chloe Sullivan, From Lois Lane. Chloe begins to cry.

_Flashback 2007 _

"She'll write to you, and I'm here to tell you that you won't write her back. You will not try to contact her, and you will not tell The Kent's that she's trying to get a hold of you."

Chloe looked at her Uncle, and for the first time, he wasn't the man she always thought he was.

"Why are you doing this?" She sobbed.

"It's all for the best, Chloe," he answered. Chloe realized that he truly didn't care of his own daughter's happiness, just his own.

"Is that what you told Clark and his family? It's all for the best? You make me sick," she surprisingly told him. General Lane seemed unaffected by her words.

"When you get her calls, erase her messages and change your number. And when you get her letters," he paused. Then, "Burn them," he ordered.

Chloe looked at him hatefully.

End of Flashback

"Lois, I am so sorry," Chloe remembered shamefully. She dropped the letters back into the box and shoved it right back into her desk.

**Metropolis**

Clark walked out of the elevator and slowly made his way towards his desk, while carefully dodging all kinds of people in his path. This place was almost like a zoo. Then... across the room, a confrontation was taking place.

Lois.

He runs and tries to intercept when he is stopped by a fellow employee.

Holding him back. "Relax, Trent"

"Kent," he corrected him.

"Right, Kent." They look towards Lois. "Just watch," he said calmly much to Clark's dismay.

Clark looked at him confusingly, then reluctantly watched the scene unfold.

"His name is Jimmy Olsen," says Lois defensively.

"Jim," Olsen corrected.

"Quite. Jimmy." She looked back at her adversary. "Not 'lout,' not 'twit.' You think you're a big shot? Publicly humiliating an employee because you're in a bad mood about frogurt is small and it is petty," charged Lois Lane.

Quentin Galloway, the Daily Planet's publisher, fumed. "Lois Lane, huh. Who the hell are you anyway? Shouldn't you be investigating bad high school cafeteria food? Slow news day?"

"Back off." Lois would have none of it. "You pay for our work, not our dignity. I don't like bullies, and you will not push good people around just because you're bigger. Not while I'm here," clarified Miss Lane. He was twice as big as her, but with her confidence, she appeared four times as stronger.

Meanwhile, Clark and his new colleague looked on in awe.

"God, I love her," Clark suddenly said and couldn't take it back until it was too late. To his relief, no one seemed to take him seriously.

"Get in line, buddy. Get. In. Line." The man turned around and introduced himself to Clark.

"Ron Troupe"

Clark shakes his hand while simultaneously looking at Lois.

"Clark Kent, but I guess you knew that already"

"New blood is easy to spot, we're a tight knit group around here"

"I've noticed," he quipped.

"For the most part," Troupe laughed.

_This isn't going to be easy_, Clark thought. But the one positive thing in all this is that he gets to know Lois all over again. He was immensely thankful that a lot of the traits he so loved about her wasn't entirely lost.

**Later that Day**

"Kent!" Someone screamed. "Hey, Kent!" They say once more.

Clark looked up and suddenly went mute once he looked into the eyes of Lois Lane. He really needs to get a grip on the whole nonverbal problem he has going around her if he ever expects to get anywhere.

"Hi," was all he could reply with.

He felt like an idiot.

"And you're the great reporter Chief talks so much about," she lamented.

His eyes darted away from hers. "I'm sorry," Clark replied sheepishly. This was the first time he ever felt somewhat inferior to her. Everything about her was different, yet in a lot of ways, the same. One big difference about her was that she's a little more intimidating. He suddenly finds himself hoping not to disappoint her.

He tries to say something...

She puts her hands up to stop him from going any further. "Let me guess, you're not usually like this?"

He raised his eyebrows in confirmation.

To herself, "It's an awful burden to be right so often."

Clark chuckles. The first time he had in a long while. But Lois had her head turned and didn't notice the reaction.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Lois turned her head. "What the hell was that?"

Clark followed her lead and saw the news bulletin above the newsroom floor. There's an attack occurring at the LQC building just a few blocks down the street. It looks like a robbery in progress.

"We got to get over there." She looked next to her only to find her partner gone. "Where the..." She shook her head. "Forget it!" She picks up her purse and calls out to Perry. "Chief! Is the chopper still on the roof?"

"Yeah, why?" He yelled out from his office.

"Going to have to borrow it, Chief!"

"WHAT?" Before he even gets a chance to stop her, Lois was gone. The FAA are going to sauté him when they hear about this.

**Daily Planet Roof**

Lois straps herself in and looks over the controls. She feels a tap on her shoulder.

She turns, "Jimmy!" She shouted.

"Hey, Miss Lane!" He showed her his camera. "I figured you needed the company. And the shots!"

Lois smirks. The kid has guts. Good for him. "Strap on!" She ordered. That military part of her surfacing.

"You know how to fly this thing?" He momentarily wondered why he asked. Of course she would know. She wouldn't be at the controls if she didn't.

"My father's a General, I've been flying birds like this one since I was nine!" She revealed. Jimmy is astonished until a heavy sound and an unpleasant shake took him out of his awe.

"That didn't sound too good," he began to worry.

"Oops! Throttle's this one. Sorry." Lois quickly corrected her mistake. It's like riding a bike, not something you forget. Ugh! Scratch that. Unless you have amnesia, but that isn't the case here.

Jimmy starts to freak out. This didn't sound like a good idea anymore. "Maybe we should..."

It was too late. They were in the air.

"So wrong... so wrong..." Jimmy preached, holding on, scared for his life.

"No, no, no. 'Front Page... Front Page'... Buckle up and get that camera ready!" Lois tells him.

Everything afterwards went by so quickly. Gun shots were heard, taking the engine off. Jimmy was gripping the interior of the chopper with his life as Lois dangled out hers.

A second later, she was free-falling.

She closed her eyes for the inevitable impact, and when there wasn't one, she opened her eyes reluctantly, concluding that dying didn't seem to be all that bad.

Think again.

She was about to get something even better.

Lois looked up to see a man holding the chopper, with Jimmy inside it with one hand, while the other held onto her. And that wasn't even the end of it either. They were flying.

_Whoa, what?_

"Don't worry, Miss. I've got you," the stranger assured.

Lois shook her head, trying to make sense of the situation.

She stared absentmindedly at the man in the red and blue for a brief second before shockingly realizing, "Got me," she repeated. "You've got me!" She looks down, then up. "But who's got you?"

The stranger chuckled and continued to fly. Lois's face was a picture of shock, and Jimmy looked like he has just passed out.

**Streets of Metropolis**

The stranger in primary colors softly landed himself and his passengers in the middle of the road, literally stopping traffic. He let Lois leave his arms, and in his mind, he didn't want to. Holding her has brought out memories and feelings he's tried so hard to put behind him.

It semi-relieved him that she didn't recognize him.

He safely puts the chopper he held with the other hand effortlessly to the ground.

Jimmy had awoken from his faint a minute before and furiously took pictures of their savior.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" The stranger asked in a very concerned voice.

Lois stood inches from him, giving a long hard look at the man that save her and her friend's life. Was this guy for real?

"Uh..." she uncharacteristically began. She looked at herself and her surroundings, an audience have piled up watching their every move. "Yeah," she blurted out, almost childlike. "Nothing like a fall from the sky to get the blood pumping," she tried to recover.

A small smile escaped his lips. Some things never change.

"I'm glad you're all right," he quickly turned to leave. He needed to get away from her. Rational thought was near impossible whenever he was with her.

"Wait!" She hollered as the hero began hovering above ground. She looks at him with awe. "Who are you?" She yelled out.

He stopped ten feet in the air and looked at her dead in the eyes.

"A friend"

Then, like a bird, he flew off in the distance.

Jimmy slowly stood next to Lois and watched the man fly away. Fly Away!

Getting her thoughts straight. "Jimmy," she turned. "Let's get back to work, we've got a story to write."

**Daily Planet**

"What the hell happened out there?" Perry screamed. "What was that?"

"Not a 'what' Perry. Who?"

"All right, WHO was that?" The last hour has been mind bogglingly crazy. The appearance of a man that can fly and lift helicopters with a single hand had sent shock waves across the world.

Clark suddenly appeared behind Lois.

"Did I miss anything?" He asks her in-between breaths. Lois simply rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, you missed the story of the century." She turned to him, looking a little hostile. "Where the hell were you? A story broke lose and you disappear."

"I took a cab, I thought I could get over there," he weakly explained.

"And without your partner? This is how it works, Kent. As much as I hate it, I respect Perry too much to undermine too much of his authority. He put you and I together as partners. Where you go, I go. And vice-versa. It's called a partnership, Kent. Get used to it. I'm freaking trying, I suggest you do the same."

Clark looked at her and had to practically force himself not to refute and smile at the same time.

"I'm sorry, it'll never happen again," he tells her sincerely.

Lois simply waved it off. "Whatever, Kent."

Then Galloway interrupts their little spat by pushing the two aside. Clark falls on the ground, bumping a few things on the way. Lois's eyes looked just about turning red as she rushed by Clark's side and helped him up. She wasn't as insensitive that she makes herself out to be.

"Who the hell is this freak?" The publisher asked out loud.

Clark turned away from her and looked at Galloway with the urge to burn whatever hair was left on his head, but Lois seemed to beat him to the punch.

"He's not a freak!" She defended. "In case you haven't noticed, he's pretty easy on the eyes," she smirked. Clark looks at her surprisingly. She continued. "Can't say the same towards other people, though."

Galloway glared at her angrily.

"You're not going to last long here with an attitude like that, Lane"

She only shook her head.

"Say whatever you want to make yourself feel better, but I have a story to write."

It was then that Perry speaks out. "See! Now that's the kind of work I want done around here. Everyone, stop gawking and start writing. I want an exclusive with the red-caped wonder and I want it on my desk by MORNING'S RUN!"

Lois walks back towards her desk. "Way ahead of you, Chief!"

Clark chases after her.

"Uh... Lois... Wait!"

Lois stopped, put her hands on her hip, and slowly turned around, her head staring up on the ceiling.

"What now?"

He missed how easily he could aggravate her.

"Aren't you even remotely afraid of this guy?" Clark questioned. He wasn't quite sure why he had asked.

"He's a friend, Kent"

"Well, that's what a lot of people say, it doesn't mean that it's true," he countered. He truly wanted to know where her thoughts lies with his alter-ego.

"He saved my life, and Jimmy's. Not to mention an entire floor filled with hostages. On top of that, nobody died. Is that the kind of M.O. you'd classify a mad man?"

"I'm just saying..."

She cut him off. "He said he was a friend, and I believe him. End of discussion."

She rushed passed him.

With Clark's back turned, he let a smile escape his lips. She isn't afraid of him.

"So... since there doesn't seem to be anything I could do to change your mind, how do you suppose you find this guy?" He asked, with the impression that he was reluctantly supporting her.

Lois tilted her head with a mixture of confusion and gratitude.

"I figured jumping off the highest building can get his attention. If this guy would go as far as saving a cat stuck on a tree, why not help out a girl falling off a building."

Clark laughed, then stopped and looked at her seriously.

"You're kidding, right?"

Lois shrugs. "Not if I'm right," she deadpanned.

Clark shook his head. "You are not going to do that. No way, Lois! I won't let you." This girl is either out of her mind or a genius.

"Relax, Kent. I'm kidding... for now. If I didn't know better, I would think you cared"

"I do," he replied automatically. Thankfully, Lois had been interrupted by fellow photographer Jimmy Olsen to notice. _Whew!_ He breathed out in relief.

**Foggle Towers**

Lois tiredly returns to her apartment. Sadly, a part of her always felt like it wasn't home. Like, it wasn't the place she should be at. Her thoughts came to an abrupt end when suddenly, the man that saved her life appeared at the edge of her balcony.

She slowly opened the screened door.

"Ma'am," he spoke softly, standing atop the ledge.

Lois felt like she was in a trance. His eyes looked so familiar.

"Ma'am," he spoke once more, finally getting her attention.

"Oh, hi." She has got to do a better introduction than that. "Why..." She waves offhandedly. "Never mind. How did you find me?"

"It wasn't hard"

"Right, of course," she reacted. "If you can fly, you could certainly stop and open up a phone book," she quipped.

He held back a smile.

"So, would you like to step away from the ledge, or do you normally just hover like that?" She asked. This man, whoever he was, intrigued her. He wasn't just a man that saved her life, he happened to also be immensely polite.

He stepped down and walked towards her.

"I didn't mean to interrupt. Rumor has it that you wanted to talk to me"

"And how is it that you knew it was me?" She replied with raised eyebrows.

"I never forget a face. You're a reporter, I knew people would have questions. That's why I'm here."

"You're right, we do," she agreed.

This 'friend' of hers remained at a distance.

"So..." she started, thinking of the right way to approach a situation like this. If there was one. "Where are you from?"

He paused contemplatively for a moment, but then answered.

"Krypton"

She nods. "Krypton," she repeated. "Um, is that like an uncharted country or something?"

He shook his head, amused. "Not a country. It's a planet"

Lois is shocked. "A planet?" Rethinking her line of questioning. "You mean, you're an alien?"

"Yes"

"Wow," she whispered in astonishment.

He smiles.

"So what? You took a trip to Earth and decided to play hero?" She hadn't meant it to come out as cynical as it did, but she needed to know what this guy's agenda was.

"Don't worry, Miss Lane, I'm not here to cause any trouble," he assured.

"Oh, so you're just here because you like helping people." She stopped when she realized, "I don't recall ever telling you my name"

"Yes"

"Yes about helping people, or yes about my name?"

"Both"

She rolled her eyes. So now this guy is a cryptic as well. Not the sort of thing a reader wants to read about. She scratches that out of her notepad.

"A whole bunch of people are grateful for your help yesterday, myself included. But I'm finding it hard to believe that a man of your... talents, want nothing in return"

"It's actually quite simple, Miss Lane. I fight for truth, justice, and the American way," he explained sincerely.

Lois tries not to express her skepticism. "You'll end up fighting every elected official in this country!" She moved into her home to pour herself a drink.

At this moment, she deserved one.

She looked up and noticed him staring. The man in tights was in her home. She holds out a glass. "Care for a drink?" She glanced at her glass a moment before asking, "You drink, right?"

He holds his amusement. "Yes, Miss Lane, I can drink." He waves his hand. "But not tonight."

"Suit yourself." She raised her glass, signaling a toast to herself and took a swig. "I guess there is such a thing called 'reckless flying' now," she remarked sarcastically.

Clark was amazed at the woman before him. He thought, if she didn't know who he was, it would be easier for him to communicate with her. And now that he is, the pull only seemed to get stronger, he needed to keep his distance.

"This is what I believe in," he explained looking out into the moon. Lois didn't say anything. She didn't have to. He didn't need to say more, because Lois knew exactly how he felt. They fight for the same cause, they just happen to use different methods.

"What can you do?" Lois restarted the interview.

He points to himself. "You mean my powers?"

"Pretty much." Lois felt like she was in some kind of science fiction show.

"I'm strong," he began.

Lois already knew that one.

"I'm fast."

She knew that too.

"And as you've noticed, I can fly."

Dead giveaway, she mused.

"But, I can also form intense heat from my eyes and see through things. Well, most things anyway. I can't see through lead."

Lois's interest is piqued and abruptly stopped what she was writing.

"You can't see through lead?"

He nods. "Yes"

"And... do you tell that to everyone you meet?"

"Why do you ask?"

She tries not to laugh. "Are you always this forthcoming with vital information about yourself or is complete honesty a natural thing for you?"

"I'm not quite sure where you're getting at. But as far as I can tell, I know I've just been insulted." Again.

"I'm not trying to insult you. You just told me you can't see through lead. You don't tell people what you can't do. Take it from someone with experience, people WILL use it against you."

He looked at her in wonderment. She was right. He continued to watch her with immense curiosity. She has changed so much from the woman he knew five years ago.

All of the sudden, he hears a cry for help.

Lois noticed his head jerk to the side.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that your hearing is pretty sensitive too"

He looked at her once more. She's far more observant than he led on.

"I have to go"

"I know." And she meant it.

With a single nod, he disappeared. Lois moved to the ledge where he stood just seconds before and looked out into the wide expanse of Metropolis' high rise district.

Taking another sip from her glass, it dawned on her.

His name.

"Superman"

**Daily Planet**

The next day had been chaotic. She had e-mailed her editor, Perry White, as soon as she had finished her article on Superman the previous night. Superman. The name on the Daily Planet's front page headline. The name she had given the hero that saved her life and many others.

It seemed appropriate enough. Especially with the "S" that centered across his chest.

"Superman, huh?" A voice spoke from behind, breaking her out of her little daydream.

The last person she wanted to see. She turned around. "Kent..." A name she kind of dragged.

"Whatever happened to this 'partnership' I kept hearing Lois Lane talk about?" He grinned, reminding her she had convincingly lectured him on the day before.

"Hmm," she grinned right on back. "It isn't my fault he flew to my balcony in the middle of the night."

"Sounds like a stalker to me." This is kind of getting a little ridiculous. He's jealous of himself. And Superman? Where did Lois think of such a thing? It wasn't bad, actually, he didn't mind it at all. But... he sighed. His life is getting so confusing.

"Ha, Ha, Kent. Shouldn't you be typing something?"

As Clark was going to reply back, his cell phone began to vibrate. He quickly takes the call.

"Hello?" Clark answered.

"Son, it's your father"

"Dad! Hey!" He responded happily.

Jonathan smiled on the other end. "Seems like you're doing all right out there."

He walked further away from the Newsroom. "You can say that. Have you read the paper yet?"

"It's kind of hard not to, son. Superman have become the talk of the town." He paused. "Lois actually came up with that?"

"I couldn't believe it either"

"And she didn't recognize you at all?"

"She's too pre-occupied to even notice Clark Kent. She absolutely despises me, dad."

"Oh now, come on, Clark. You act as if you liked each other the first time you two met," his father reminded him.

"That was different, dad. We were just a couple teenagers then. Besides, the feelings aren't mutual this time," he whispered.

"You'll have to hang in there," he encouraged.

"I'm trying"

"Call me later"

"I will"

"I love you, son"

"I love you too, dad. Say bye to mom for me."

"I will"

Clark closes the flap of his phone, leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Girlfriend trouble?" Someone says.

Clark jumps and realizes who it is.

"Lois"

"That's my name, don't wear it out," she winked innocently. She looked at her partner curiously. He truly is an odd guy. One minute, he's fumbling around looking for a pencil, and the next, he could be quite adversarial in a debate. At the moment, he was stuck in between.

"How can I help you?" He asked her nervously.

"I was just wondering if you were having girlfriend trouble." She saw him leave with a happy expression, but then she couldn't help but notice how sad he suddenly became after having spoken on the phone. She worried that maybe there was bad news of some kind.

"I don't..." he looked at the cell phone in his hand. "Oh, no, that wasn't my girlfriend. I was talking to my dad."

Her face sobered. "Is he okay?"

Clark is surprised by the question and by the expression on her face when she asked it.

"Yeah, he's fine. Thanks for asking"

"Okay." She shrugs. "You looked worried there for a second"

"No, he's just checking up on me. He was never much a person for the city life"

"First time away from home?"

"Not exactly." He paused, unsure where the conversation was heading. Was she actually taking an interest in his life? "I traveled the world a bit before settling in Metropolis." Lois didn't seem surprised by the revelation.

Neither of them realized it, but they found themselves walking to their desks.

"Oh yeah," she says. She sat down and so did he.

"I spent most of my time in Africa, though. I wrote this article on..."

"Asura," she finished for him. Clark looked at her with wide-eyed surprise.

"How did you know?"

"I read it"

"You read my article?" He was blown away.

"He was a good man. I'm sorry about what happened to him," she added.

"You met him?" Clark thought that was impossible. He would've known. "I don't recall seeing you there, or knowing you were there."

"That's because I went by an alias, and I was there months before you did the article. I wasn't exactly interested in putting my name out there. I spent a couple days in the town where he lived."

Clark remembered the conversation he had with Asura. "You're Teri Hatcher?"

Lois smiles. She finally smiled genuinely for him. And a beautiful one at that.

"Guilty"

Clark couldn't believe it. He had read countless of her articles all throughout his trips across the world. Her face remained anonymous, but her work was always credible. He often wondered who the woman was behind the words that held such deep conviction and promise.

Talking to her like this, discovering the different parts of her, it's like falling in love with her all over again.

"Hey Kent! Earth to Kent, don't go catatonic on me now"

He shook himself out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry, I just." He suddenly notices her playing around with her ring finger. Lois catches his gaze.

"Oh, sorry about that. Bad habit." She stopped and put her hands on her lap, as if it was the only way she would get it to stop.

Clark was curious. "From what?"

"I, uh..." She laughs a little out loud. "I don't know, actually. I feel like I'm missing something that should be there, you know." She suddenly realized she had opened up to a near complete stranger. "Sorry, forget I just said that." She stood up and quickly dashed away from view.

Even though memories could be altered or forgotten, he knew that not everything did. Watching Lois fidget with her finger, he knew what she herself didn't know she was subconsciously looking for.

Her wedding band.

Clark knew he shouldn't follow her, but something was happening to Lois and he needed to make sure she was all right. The truth would have to wait. Her well-being would always come first.

**Conference Room**

Hiding out, Lois leaned back against the wall and slid down onto the cold marble floor. She had been mentally exhausted these last few days. So many sleepless nights, even the promise of a knight in shining armor that can fly wasn't enough to quell the fear she had every time she had closed her eyes to sleep.

Looking down onto her hand, she often found herself rubbing her left ring finger. Why she would do that, she honestly didn't know. She often wondered whether she had a ring there at one point. But she quickly pushed the thought away. Impossible.

Somebody knocks on the door.

"Lois," the man called from behind.

She sighs. It's the hack from Smallville. She slapped her forehead. He isn't a hack, Lois. Stop treating him badly. How the guy got her to open up a little surprised her.

"It's unlocked"

She stood up from where she sat and unwrinkled her skirt. Clark Kent walks in with a worried look.

"You okay?"

"Fine," she answered. Her face was expressionless.

"Are you sure?" He desperately didn't want to leave her alone. She seems ten times as guarded now than she was when he had first met her at nineteen.

"I've had a lot on my mind"

"You want to talk about it?"

"I really don't"

She crossed him, catching the brief sadness on his face. She stops at the door frame and looks back.

"Kent"

Clark turned.

"Thanks"

For the first time in over five years, there was hope for them yet.

**Washington D.C.**

"General, I think there's something you need to see"

The General stood steadfast. "It's not necessary, Major," he replied, dropping a peculiar file atop of his desk before sitting down.

"Yes, sir." The Major stands at attention and does an about face. He exits General Lane's office.

At his desk, the General takes a cigar and lights it, then sighing. He looked down on the file once more. On its tab, it says a name. His daughter's name.

Lois Lane... Kent.

He dropped his cigar on the ashtray and reluctantly flipped the file open. A photo copy of The Daily Planet's front cover story on Superman was on the very top of all the other documents.

He looked at the byline...

Lois Lane.

The General closes his eyes. It'll only be a matter of time.

**3AM in the Morning**

Clark watched the full moon from his apartment window. He had just returned from another daring rescue and it has left him unexpectedly tired. Or maybe it was just his mind that was tired. The last few days had been life-altering to say the least.

After five long years away, he had finally returned home.

But that wouldn't be the only thing that would return.

It was his wife.

At the moment, she was unaware of that. She was unaware of a lot of things, yesterday at work completely confirmed that. He had hoped that maybe she would remember now that he was there, but her father's attempt to eliminate the truth proved a success.

And Clark hated him for it.

_Flashback 2007 _

"What did you do to my wife?"

"Nothing," he replied, his voice masked with no emotion. "I made it go away," he continued.

"What?"

"I made everything go away, Mr. Kent"

"What did you do?" he said pleadingly.

"It doesn't matter now, Mr. Kent. The moment my daughter wakes up, she won't know you." He looks outside his office to see his parent's and Chloe waiting anxiously. "Any of you," he clarified.

"You can't do that," Clark says in disbelief.

"I already have," The General concluded. A despaired Clark couldn't make himself move. Before opening the door, General Lane reaches into his jacket and removes an envelope from his side pocket.

He drops it on a nearby table.

"Let her go," was his last words to him.

Clark stood for a moment lost before reaching for the envelope that laid still atop the table, fearful of the content it contained.

"Clark!" His mother entered, along with his father and Chloe.

"Son!" says Jonathan. "What happened, what did he say?"

For Chloe, there was just nothing she could do for him. No amount of sincerity or apologies or kind words can take away whatever pain her uncle had inflicted on him. She's never seen him so... broken.

Clark slowly opened the envelope, tears were forcing its way from his eyes.

His hand tremors.

Looking at it, he finally broke down. Collapsing to his knees. His parents rushed to his side.

"Clark!" Martha was scared now, more than she have ever been in a very long time. She tried to force her son to show her what he was holding.

And when he did...

She wish he hadn't.

Lois's wedding ring.

End of Flashback

On his lap, he looked at it. In between his fingers was her ring. Lois's wedding ring. It's also the very same ring that belonged to his great grandmother. His mom gave it to him to give to Lois.

Lois had loved it so much, he had it engraved.

It said, 'Forever With You.' The look on her face the moment she saw it was breathtaking. He had showed it to her as they were giving their wedding vows.

He remembered every word they said to each other that day. He desperately longed for that moment again.

For the last five years, he had kept it near. He wore it around his neck as a way to still be connected to her. General Lane had done such a thorough job in keeping he and Lois apart, that he angrily accepted the fact that it was over.

Little did he know then that it was far from over.

_Ding... Dong..._

Clark put the necklace with the ring attached to it around his neck before getting up to answer the door. Who'd be visiting him at this hour of the morning.

Opening it.

"Hey, Clark," the woman greeted.

"Chloe," Clark says a little surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?" He gestured for her to enter.

"Can a friend visit?" She remarked.

"Always," he genuinely replied. "But at 3 in the morning?"

She looked at her watch. "It's almost four," she noticed.

Clark brushed past her and lay on the couch. "You know what I mean," he replied lazily.

"Tough day at the office?"

"On all accounts," he admitted.

"How's Lois?" She reluctantly asked. Chloe couldn't help but feel guilty and cheated for the past five years. She had missed her cousin so much that it made her sick some times.

"Completely oblivious to my existence," he says exasperated.

Chloe raised an eyebrow and showed him the cover of the Daily Planet newspaper.

"But not to Superman's." She couldn't help but tease him a little. The irony of seeing Clark go against himself not lost on her.

Clark rolled his eyes. "Oh, that. Now that's just complicated." He could see Lois's attraction towards his alter-ego coming miles away. Growing up, he always thought that if people knew what he was, they'd run away or call him a freak. But no... Not with Lois. It always had to be her to prove him wrong.

"You're a triangle made for two," Chloe concluded thoughtfully.

Clark smiles.

"As if I didn't have enough on my plate, Chlo. I have to fight for my own wife's affection against my own self. That's a Dr. Phil segment waiting to happen."

Chloe could relate, on some level anyway. And all she wished was for her best friend to be happy.

"I'm going to visit Lois later," she revealed much to Clark's surprise.

"Are you sure about that?"

"It's been long enough. Her dad didn't just take her away from you, Clark. He took her away from all of us." Chloe begins to cry. "I miss her."

Clark reaches out to hug her.

"I know"

**Clark's Apartment**

Clark had left for work just three hours after she had arrived and Chloe was left to spend the entire morning figuring out how she was going to see Lois. She knew it had been long enough.

For years, Lois had told her that what The General says, you do, and for years she never really took it seriously. So ever since this whole nightmare began, she found herself doing the exact same thing that she always thought was exaggerated.

The day that her uncle had come to see her was the day that changed everything. Lois was gone. Not dead, but gone. And with the terms The General had given her and The Kents, if was as if she were already dead.

She wept for her lost cousin every time she would receive a letter every year for her birthday. She would wish her the best and hope that she's happy. Even though it was made aware that Chloe didn't write back, Lois continued to remember.

And then there's that other situation where Clark never knew that she had known some of Lois's whereabouts. That the letters she'd receive from her were never discussed, or revealed. He would hate her at first, and she would have to work twice as hard to one, earn Lois's trust back and two, earn Clark's.

"Get a grip, Chloe," Chloe says to herself.

She took another deep breath before grabbing her purse and headed out the door.

It was now or never.

**Daily Planet**

Chloe stepped off the elevator and looked around with wide-eyed wonder. She still couldn't believe that Clark Kent and Lois Lane were reporters for the Daily Planet. She had spent most of her life loving everything journalism. She lived it, slept with it, yearned for it, and at times, almost died for it.

And now, even though the Daily Planet was no longer in her sight, being the editor for the Smallville Ledger has proved fulfilling. She had no regrets but just one.

Chloe looked at the familiar woman seated just 50 feet away. Her heart begins to beat faster, her pulse joining it. She walked closer, her nerves getting the better of her.

"Hello," she spoke shyly. Lois didn't look up and kept typing.

Chloe says it again. "Hi."

Lois's eyes were glued to the screen. "Not now, I'm working," she says.

_She really wants me to work for it_, thought Chloe.

"Umm, Lois," she says again, but this time, a little louder. She could hear Lois sigh in annoyance before looking up.

"What?"

Then there was silence.

"Chloe?" Lois says, her face a picture of shock.

Chloe nodded, she felt so little when it came to her cousin. Suddenly, everything she thought up to say had suddenly left her mind, leaving her with little to work with. Some journalist she is.

"I know it's been a while and..." Chloe begins nervously. "I thought maybe... we could get a cup of coffee." She stopped, then continued. "If you want, I mean"

Lois continued to look at her, surprised that she was standing right there, in front of her. She hadn't heard from her 'little cousin' in over five years. Selfishly, the reporter in her wanted to know why.

"I'd like that," she answered.

**Coffee Shop**

The cousins walked down the street and settled in a Cafe, having a couple of espresso's. Lois was quiet all throughout, Chloe too, and neither really knew how to start the conversation.

"So," Chloe decided to just go for it. "Daily Planet."

Lois smiles. "Yeah. Never really thought of myself as a reporter, the idea of butting into other peoples' business wasn't exactly my idea of fun." She shrugs. "But I ended up loving it."

Chloe laughs. "You were always good at finding the truth"

Silence again.

Lois takes another sip of her expresso before gently putting it down. She looked at Chloe.

"What are you doing here?"

Chloe's face saddens.

"I wanted to see you"

Sadly, Lois was having a hard time believing that.

"Why?" She questioned. "Why now and not five years ago?" Maybe now, Lois could get the answers no one would give to her so she could perhaps move on herself.

Chloe took another deep breath, she knew that questions like that would be asked and she wasn't entirely sure how she was going to answer them.

"It's complicated, Lois"

Lois bows her head in defeat, so much for the truth. Chloe looked on and hated how far in the dark her dear cousin really were.

"I wrote you every year, did you know that?" Lois recalled somberly.

"I know," Chloe replied weakly.

Lois's head shot up in surprise. "You knew. You got my letters and you didn't say anything?"

Chloe forced her tears from showing. "I didn't know how"

"I was so alone, Chloe," Lois revealed with deep emotion. "There wasn't anyone I could go to. Everyone I cared about wanted nothing to do with me, and I didn't have a clue why"

"Lois," she tried to interrupt.

"No, don't! You shouldn't have come to see me. I was better off." She stood up to leave.

"Please, Lois, don't go"

Lois stopped and turned her head back. "I didn't have to. I was already gone." And then she left.

Chloe covered her face with both hands and cried silently. She knew she deserved that. But she owed Lois the truth. Clark will do what he has to do, but she couldn't allow Lois to continue thinking that the people that love her so much abandoned her. She deserved to know even a little, if not all.

Standing up, she felt the pressure of another hand on her shoulder sit her back down.

Looking up, her face darkened.

If she had heat vision like Clark did, she would've burned off the skin on his face.

The man sat down where Lois was a moment ago.

"Chloe"

Her Uncle Sam.

"How did you find me?" She asked cautiously, all the while holding her anger.

"I wasn't," he replied. "I was just going to see Lois and decided to get a cup of coffee."

"Oh," she says not believing a single word uttered from his mouth. "So..." she looked at another patron reading the morning newspaper with Superman splashed across its front page. "... a certain alien that rescued her had nothing to do with it," she continued as a statement of fact rather than a question.

She leaned in. "What do you really want?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Her uncle's face softened, something she doesn't normally see him do, particularly in the presence of family. She didn't like it one bit.

"Does she know?"

Chloe's face turned angry.

"Not yet"

"You and Clark haven't told her?" He was absolutely sure that they would've told her already.

She didn't answer him, she wanted to make him uncomfortable. "Oh, so he's Clark now? Whatever happened to Mr. Kent?" She wanted away from him and she wanted away from him now. It would not be her fault if her expresso somehow made its way on his lap.

"What's happened between all of us has been unfortunate"

"Oh, save it, Uncle Sam. You're words are charcoal to me. I'm not a little girl anymore, and in case you haven't noticed, so is your daughter. You're just here to cover your ass. Once Lois finds out, she'll send you to hell herself."

She stands up and leaves.

General Lane watched her go with sad eyes.

She was right, but he already knew that.

**Gomper's Park**

Clark Kent had received a phone call ten minutes earlier about an anonymous source needing to meet with him. As soon as he arrived at the destination where their meeting would be held at, it all became clear what it was all about.

He approached the familiar figure cautiously.

"General Lane," he uttered blankly.

"Mr. Kent"

"I'd ask what you're doing here, but we both already know why. I shouldn't be surprised. Frankly, I thought you'd be here sooner, considering how close of an eye you like to keep on my wife"

"Five years later and you still call her your wife," The General observed.

"By law, we're still legally married," Clark reminded him.

"All you had to do was sign the damn papers, and it would've been done"

"For you!" He says angrily, his composure faltering. "It would've been done for you! Lois and I didn't even have a choice. Why, General? That's the biggest question of all, isn't it? Why take away your own daughter's free will, it can't just be all about me. I would never hurt her. If there was anything about me you can believe, believe that I loved her, and that I still do."

"I did what I thought was right"

"You're five years too late," he responded icily. "And I'm telling you, if you don't tell her what you did to her..." He stopped, not keeping his eyes off the General and continued. "I will"

"You're making a mistake"

"My biggest mistake was letting myself think she was lost forever, and that I allowed you to take her away from the people that loved her."

Clark leaves and for the first time, a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

On his way back to the Daily Planet, he was going to tell Lois the truth.

**Daily Planet**

He nervously paced around the office. He wasn't entirely looking for her, he knew where she was. Ever since he found her a part of his life again, he found that her rhythm remained intact and that, if they were at a certain distance, he could tell where she was at.

He looks at her from across the room.

And so it begins...

"Lois," he called for her but she didn't even look up. "Lois," he says once more, following her around like some lost puppy. This woman had way too much power of him. She looked like she had a lot on her mind, though. He momentarily wondered if she had seen Chloe yet.

"Lois!"

Lois does a little jump. "For God's sake, Smallville, I heard you the first two times."

He quirked an eyebrow. She called him 'Smallville.' "Then why didn't you say anything?" That had to be a sign.

"I figured ignoring you would be a little less impolite as opposed to saying, 'leave me alone.'"

His eyes turned worrisome.

"Are you okay?"

Lois looked at him awkwardly. Why is he so worried about her a lot?

"Of course I'm okay, why shouldn't I be okay?"

"I've only been here a few days, but you seem a little more stressed than usual"

"It's a fact I call life," she quipped.

"Lois!" Somebody else called out from across the room. Lois's face turned immediately brightened.

She relaxes, "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." She walks towards him and kissed the man on the lips. Unbeknownst to anyone, the gesture made Clark's blood boil with jealousy. Who the hell was this guy?

He couldn't watch this and just shied his eyes away.

"Kent, this is Bruce Wayne," Lois introduced.

Clark reluctantly faced him. Bruce Wayne extended his hand. "Mr. Kent." But his hand just hung in the air until Clark had to force himself to shake it.

"Mr. Wayne"

Lois looked in a hurry to leave. "Now that introductions have been set, why don't we get out of here," she urged. The earlier days' event taking a toll on her.

"Anything you say," Bruce oblige much to Clark's dislike, but no one knew that. Not only did he have to contend with his alter ego, but this multi-billionaire as well. Can his life get any worse?

**Later that Evening**

"Lois is dating," he began wondering around aimlessly across his apartment. Chloe sat there with a pained expression on her face. The world just didn't want to let up.

"Maybe they're just very good friends," her attempt at comfort failing miserably.

"They're good friends all right." The image of Lois kissing another man stung him. What was he going to do now? He had been ready to tell her the truth, everything, but in just a few lousy seconds, his plan had gone down the drain.

Was it serious? Is she even in love with him? What if she was? He couldn't just come out and claim to be her husband.

He sighed and fell back first onto his sofa. Chloe continued to look on helplessly.

"I ran into Uncle Sam today," Chloe says with a slight of hesitancy.

Clark's head bobbed up, the first time his attention was redirected to anything but Lois.

"What did he want from you?"

"Same old, same old," she knew she couldn't dodge it, and why she was even trying to delay the inevitable, she didn't know.

"What do you mean?"

Her head falters.

"I knew," she uttered softly.

Clark had to blink. He didn't understand what she was trying to tell him.

"What? What did you know?" He was scared now, has Chloe been lying to him all these years? If so, he wouldn't know how to deal with that.

"After Lois disappeared, Uncle Sam came to me and told me if Lois ever tried to contact me... that I wouldn't try to get in touch with her back." A single tear falls from her eye. "And she did"

Clark's eyes remained focused on hers, holding back a reaction. He let her continue.

"Six months after it happened, she wrote to me... and... and I didn't write back. Five years, 57 phone calls and ten letters later, I didn't write her back." She was crying now and Clark saw that she was just as broken as he was.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Was the only thing he could think of asking. He felt so numb now. They say the truth would set you free, but instead, he felt trapped and drowning. He was a man that can fly but even he can't save his own mind from falling off the deep end. He felt so completely and utterly trapped.

"At first, because he told me not to, but after a while, I knew he would never hurt me, but it was just... I told myself I'd tell you, but the longer I waited, the harder it was for me to tell you. You were hurting so much..." she tries not to cry.

She watched Clark look lost.

He stood up quietly and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Chloe hesitantly.

"I need to be alone," he told her. Chloe understood. "Don't wait up"

Clark leaves, a whole knew set of problems laid flatly atop all the other problems that was already there. It never use to be like this. He was happy once, so completely happy. It's that happiness he longed to have again.

He wished Lois was there to tell him everything would be alright.

**Three Months Later**

_Knock. Knock._

Clark got up from the comfort of his couch and headed to answer the door. Opening it...

"Lois?" He uttered as Lois let herself in. "What are you doing here?" Not that he minded at all. Clark closed the door and looked at her curiously.

The last three months had been rocky, and for Clark, frustrating. Their relationship, even rockier. And though their methods of reporting were exorbitantly different, they have been able to come to a compromise.

To her surprise, they actually worked great together.

But it wasn't a surprise to him.

Clark knew their minds were and still is very much attuned with one another. It was something that always came natural to the two of them. That unwavering trust in one another's abilities, it's what always made them the best team back in College.

So when they're given an opportunity, he wields it, something she taught him how to do years ago.

Lois's voice takes him out of his thoughts. "You know I've been seeing Bruce, right?"

Clark looks at her, holding back his jealousy. "The billionaire philanthropist." He shrugs. "How can I not?" He answered.

"He asked me to marry him"

Clark continued to look at her, trying to comprehend what exactly she had just said. Lois is engaged! More importantly, his wife is engaged. Sure she didn't know that, but still. The thought didn't sit well with him.

"You're getting married?" He tried to keep his voice leveled, not sounding jealous or upset or both.

"One second we're talking about economics, the next, he gets down on one knee"

"And you said yes?"

She blinked. "Yes, I did," she tries to hold her temper. "What was I suppose to do? I trust him, Clark, and I've been seeing him for a while now"

"But do you love him?" He was deadly afraid of the answer.

She doesn't answer, and Clark gets a little irritated.

"Have you slept with him?" He wished he could take back the question, but he had to know.

It was her turn to get upset, and unlike Clark, she made aware he knew that too. "That's none of your business"

"Then why come here?" he challenged. She wouldn't have come to see him if she wasn't having second thoughts.

"Oh, don't start with me, Smallville. And don't tell me your jealous," she accused.

"I'm not jealous," he told her. He certainly was but she didn't have to know that.

Lois looked at him confusingly. She didn't even know why she even had to tell him about Bruce. Why does she feel like she suddenly needed his permission or something.

"And what about Superman?" That was low, even for him, but he was seriously running out of options.

"Superman?" she repeated. "You've got to be kidding me. Sure he's tall, dark, trustful, compassionate and mysteriously handsome"

"Exactly!" Clark is really in over his head, he couldn't believe he was promoting his other self.

"But that's just it. It's not real. He's not real. He belongs to the world, Clark. He's the 'dashing prince' that commoners are allowed to look at but never touch. I'm his friend, I am... but I admit..." she quirks an eyebrow. "And this better not leave this room... I'm over my infatuation with the guy."

"So, that's it. You're going to marry Bruce Wayne." If he could, he would've mentally blasted himself. Why does he keep asking the bad questions.

"Yeah." She hesitated with her answer, and she couldn't understand why she would be having doubts. What is it about marriage the scares her?

"All right, fine!" He says, letting her do what she wanted.

Lois leaves his apartment momentarily wondering why she and Clark had this argument in the first place.

**Gotham City**

It was

dark and rainy.

Superman flew across its dark skies, noting the difference between this city and Metropolis. He needed to get his mind off what he had just learned hours ago.

Lois is getting married to Bruce Wayne. If there was ever a perfect moment to tell her the truth, this would be it, because there was no other way around it. Soon, Lois will go to the County Clerk's office to request for a marriage license, and there lies the truth he himself wrestled with to tell her.

General Lane had once sent him papers of annulment, but he refused to sign it. Now, he might not have a choice.

Skimming the skies, he had one other reason for being in Gotham.

Bruce Wayne.

But before he could get to him, his hearing catches the sound of a burglary occurring just a mile in his direction. He quickly speeds forth.

As he got there, he wasn't alone.

In his sight, was a figure dressed in black, like a bat. Catching a glimpse of the symbol on his chest, he realizes he wasn't the only one trying to play hero.

"Need a hand?" He flew slightly above the dark avenger, but he simply continued to fight. Superman watched him with idle curiosity. He was an incredibly smooth fighter, barely really breaking a sweat.

Once he had apprehended the thieves, he turned to Superman.

"Superman," he says.

"Yes, I am. So you're Batman?" He really didn't need confirmation, his suit made it clear who he was.

"What brings you here?"

Superman doesn't answer, his voice was strikingly familiar. He takes this advantage and x-rays through his mask.

Superman stands in shock.

"Wayne?"

Batman stood straight when he heard his real name. How did he... Never mind that.

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew that, but since you and I are apparently on the same line of work, I'm going to have to ask you not to say anything."

Superman tried to make sense of his already complicated situation. All he could do was nod and fly away. And while he was flying, he was in deep thought. Multibillionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne is Batman. If he had discovered this years ago, he would've laughed about it, but now...

Does Lois even know?

**One Week Later**

Lois is on her way to the Clerk of the Circuit Court about her and Bruce's marriage. Since news of their engagement broke out, the city have dubbed it the 'social event of the season.' She tried hard not to roll her eyes at the label.

Reaching the main desk, she fills out all the required forms. They hadn't needed to get it this soon, but with their schedules, they found it best to get it over with, so Lois went ahead and gone first, Bruce would be following shortly after..

Finishing up, she is asked to wait a bit.

So she did.

10 minutes pass, no one calls for her.

20 minutes pass, she requests an update, but all she got was 'We're sorry, it's going to take a little longer.'

45 minutes in and her nerves is up to an eruptive rate.

Lois demanded why it's taking so long. One of the clerk's shyly came up to her, as if he was trying to figure out how to explain the situation.

"Well," she spoke out frustratingly. "What the hell is taking so long?"

The young man reluctantly answers.

"Well, Ma'am... there's a slight problem"

The young man explained the problem.

"What do you mean, married?" Unbelievable! They're claiming she's already married. And from the name she saw next to hers, she knew that it had to be some kind of joke.

"Ma'am, I don't know how else to explain this to you. But according to our records, you were and still are married"

"That can't be right, check it again"

"I have ma'am"

"Look - there's no way in hell I would be married. I would know." She tried to explain. This was a disaster. Not only has there been a huge mix-up, but now how would she explain to her fiancée that she was... is... married. And to makes things even more complicated, it was to Clark Kent. Could you believe that? Somebody has her listed down as being married to Clark Kent, a guy from a town called Smallville. That just couldn't be right.

"Ma'am, I - "

"No." She cut him off. "Clark and I never walked the isle this year. Impossible. I've only known the guy for a few months, he would've said something if that was the case. Someone is messing with me, and I don't have time for it."

"But - "

She raised her hand abruptly to his face. "I want this fixed, and I want it fixed right now." She raised her left hand that sported the diamond engagement ring. "See this," twiddling her fingers. "I'm engaged. To be married. I can't do that if I already am."

"But ma'am!" he shouted, quieting Lois.

She watched him take a deep breath before holding out the piece of document for her to see.

"You two were married in 2007"

**DAILY PLANET**

Lois walked into the office with a great deal on her mind. She didn't really know how long she just stood there, staring. Attentively looking at her partner, and possibly, her husband.

She carefully walked up to him.

"Can we talk?" She asks, interrupting his work.

Clark looked up. "A - About what?"

"I was at the County Clerk's office today"

"Oh yeah," he says bluntly. He really did not need her throwing this entire marriage in his face.

Lois noted his dramatic change in demeanor. Could he have been that good to have hidden this from her. How could it be? Why would he do it if he was? So many questions plagued her mind. They couldn't be married. With the exception of journalism, they had little to nothing in common.

"I found out something"

Clark wasn't really paying attention, his mind was too focused with the idea of Lois being with another man. A Batman, no less.

She caught that he was distracted, in regards to what, she didn't know. But she kept pressing.

"It seems that everything nowadays is recorded," she added, finally getting his attention. Clark eyed her confusingly. Lois continues, "Including marriages," she added a little to weakly in the end.

Clark's attention shoots up. She knew. The County Clerk's Office. He tried to get a word in but Lois gestured towards a conference room. She didn't want to have this conversation with an audience.

"Oh." He stood up from his desk to follow her.

In the room, Lois and Clark stood opposite each other. Both have tried to say something, but their thoughts often came out short.

Then, Lois reached in her purse to remove a folded piece of paper. She hesitated to give it to him, mostly because she was afraid it may be true, or maybe she was afraid that she wanted it to be true even when her mind tried to claim it couldn't be possible.

Clark eyed the folded paper in her hand. He didn't need to have x-ray vision to know what it was.

He reaches to take it, albeit reluctantly. And when his fingers brushed hers, something happened that neither could explain.

Maybe it was static.

A moment passed.

"Aren't you going to read it?"

Clark walked towards the corner when they keep refreshments. He reaches for a Styrofoam cup and filled it with coffee. "I don't have to," he answered before taking a sip.

"Why?"

"Because I know what it is," he answered her softly.

Lois looked at him wide-eyed. For the second time that day, she was at a loss for words. She couldn't help but notice the change in him. The usually courteous, mild-mannered, and some times playful Clark Kent was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a man. He stood tall and confident, all the while looking broken, you could almost say that he reminded her of Superman.

She shook the notion away when she finally sees incredibly sad he looked, and wondered why she hadn't seen it before. She was so confused, there was a strange familiarity in all this.

He clenched his jaw, something she never noticed he did. When the silence became unbearable for her, "Please, Clark, what is going on?"

Clark slowly put his mug down and turned to her, eyes glistening with tears, they were ready to fall, but he forced himself to hold it back. He won't allow himself to cry in front of her.

"Why don't you ask your father, he's done a pretty good job so far"

Before his words registered to her, Lois was taken aback by the amount of emotion etched on his face. The tears that she saw threatening to fall. The sadness in his voice. His entire demeanor was unlike she had ever seen in Clark. And then, when his words made their way to her consciousness. Her father? How did he...

"My fath - How do you know my father?"

Even though he heard her words, his mind tries to refuse to answer until she gets the answers from the man that started it all.

"I have to go, Chief's waiting for my article." Clark moved pass her only to feel the touch of Lois's hand turn him back around. He hated it when that happened.

"Wait! You are not leaving this conversation." Her reaction was noted, but as much as he wanted to tell her everything, rationality won him over. He wasn't going to tell her, not like this. "How do you know my father?"

She rushes to the folded paper he left on the table and unfolded it herself. "And why won't you even look at this?" She unfolded it. "It says here, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Married - "

"July 19, 2007," he finished for her much to Lois's shock. "I don't have to read it to remember when we got married, Lois."

"You - " She lifted her hand to her forehead before sinking to a nearby chair. "You know?" She already knew the answer, but at that moment, she needed to hear it from him.

"We're really married?" This time, it came out in a whisper. The revelation brought her mind back to the nights she remembered waking up from dreams of a life that she felt she lived but hadn't. Dreams she remember one minute and forget the next. A life where she was surrounded by friends and family and... happiness. Could they have all been real?

Clark remained still and quiet, unsure of how to proceed. As much as this was taking an emotional toll on him, he did not want to confuse and stress her out more than she already is.

"Clark - " she uttered.

"You think this is hard," Clark stopped her, his guard falling rapidly. So long for rationality. He couldn't take it anymore. "You don't remember anything, but I remember everything," he says to her emotionally.

Lois tries to speak, but words failed to leave her. "I - "

"No, Lois, don't. You said you wanted to know, so I'm telling you what I can." Lois diverted her eyes away from him, it was filling up with tears as fast as his was threatening to fall.

"You're my wife," he finally admitted.

Lois turned to him once those words left his lips, seeing for the first time, there was more to Clark Kent than she realized. He continued. "When I first got the job here, I didn't know I'd be sharing a desk with you. I didn't know that you worked here. For years, I made peace with the fact I may never see you again, but our marriage," he paused but then willed himself to go on "... but our marriage was the only thing I had that kept me connected to you, so I couldn't. I couldn't sign the papers to let you go."

"Ho... How?" She didn't understand what he was talking about or what papers he was referring to.

"You're amnesia. The three years you lost was ours," he explained carefully.

Normally, Clark would take every chance to be alone with her and get to know her again, but now, being in the same room with her hurt too much. He reached for the knob to leave when Lois's voice once again broke through the silence. She was never one for silences.

"Why don't I remember?" For the first time in the months he had to get to know her all over again, she spoke those words like an innocent child.

"Like I said," he reminded her. "Ask your father." He looked at her one more time before wiping the single tear the fell from his eyes.

**Foggle Towers**

For the last hour, Lois sat on her sofa with a tub of Rocky Road ice cream in one hand and a her wireless phone on the other. She took the rest of the afternoon off, despite Perry's protests.

And Clark?

There wasn't a lot said since their discussion. For the moment, she was grateful, she didn't know how much more she could handle. She needed to process, and she also needed a game plan.

She looked at her phone once again, contemplating her next move. First, there's her fiancée, Bruce, whom she had been ignoring all day. Then there's her father, even though they have had their rough times, she had always trusted him.

Until now?

Who was she suppose to believe? The man that raised her, or a husband she doesn't remember? This was all so confusing, it made her angry.

The door bell rings.

"It's open!" she yelled, refusing to leave her couch.

She was stunned to see Chloe come in. She had thought that after their conversation at the Cafe, they would never see each other. I guess she was wrong, yet again.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

Lois stopped and wondered what she was talking about, but then it hit her. Clark. Smallville. Chloe. Kansas. She raised her head back and sighed.

"Oh God," expressed Lois. "You knew!" She was too preoccupied with questions and concerns that getting angry again was the least of her worries.

"Can I stay?"

She looked at her solemnly. "Depends. If you're here to lie to me, I'm really not in the mood"

Chloe's eyes fell.

"I wasn't..."

Lois raised both hands. "Sorry, sorry. I'm working on some issues right now and my mind, not to mention my feelings, are working overtime." She paused and looked at her cousin, quickly changing her mind.

She slams both the rocky road and phone atop her coffee table and stood up.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TWO KEPT THIS FROM ME?" She finally let out, standing up from the couch and walked out to her balcony.

"I'm SORRY!" Chloe yelled back, following her. At least they were talking, and it was a hell of a lot better than never seeing each other again.

She turned. "Sorry?" Lois repeated with some anger. "Sorry! That's all you have to say. For OVER five years, you knew exactly what was wrong with me. And CLARK!" she adds with great aggravation. "Oh, don't let me get started with him. Coming to work every morning and not saying a God Damn Thing!"

"He was just trying to be careful"

"And then what?" She spitted out. "Wait till I die of old age before he gets enough guts to tell me I'm his wife?" She tried to lower her voice, but it was no use. She needed an outlet for her anger and Chloe just happened to be in the line of fire.

"Lois..."

"No, Chloe. Don't you get it? I said YES to marriage to another man, who I care a lot about. And then I learn that I'M already married. And the man I thought was just a coworker turns out to be my husband, and the cousin who's ignored me for years suddenly stops by for coffee, oh and then Oops! She happened to forget to tell me that I had another family out THERE! How am I suppose to react to that?"

She was clearly pissed off.

"Exactly how you are right now," exclaimed Chloe.

"Don't rationalize the situation Chlo," she interrupted. "I'm trying to be erratic. Let me be erratic, I deserve it."

Chloe tried not to smile. It always made her want to smile when Lois herself tries to make light of a situation.

"You haven't changed"

"What?"

"I mean, you've changed, but... there are still a lot of things about you that remain the same"

Lois had just about enough. She reached the corner of the ledge and slid down on the floor.

She leaned against the railing behind her as she pulled her knees towards her. She held herself fiercely and Chloe looked on dejectedly.

"I don't know what else to say, Lois"

It was Lois's turn to cry. "I don't know what's happening to me, Chlo. I feel like I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions and half the time, I don't even know why." Wiping her tears. "I just want it all to stop"

Chloe couldn't help but rush by her side.

Comfortingly, she reached out and held her older cousin's hands with her own and whispered, "You're not alone anymore. We'll be right here"

Lois's tears continued to fall and allowed herself to be held by the only other family she knew she had.

Unbeknownst to the two, right outside and hovering below the balcony, the figure of Superman hovered close. He had heard everything. From Lois's anger to her cry for help, it had taken all of him not to fly in there and take her pain away.

Things were going to get a lot worse before they get better, but at least they had a start.

**Daily Planet Roof**

There was something comforting about standing atop a tall building, staring out into a sea of buildings that create Metropolis's great 'City of Tomorrow.' This place, it felt like sanctuary for her.

She had left Chloe back at her apartment. She needed someplace to think, and this was where she felt at peace the most.

As a gust of wind brushed smoothly behind her, she sensed she wasn't by herself.

"I thought I was alone," she says without turning.

"You're not alone, Miss Lane," Superman spoke to her back. He wanted to tell her right then and there that it was him, Clark Kent, but he knew that after discovering that he was her husband, that telling her he was Superman was a little too much to handle in one day.

Lois moved her head sideways. "A fact you could have shared before you were breathing down my neck."

Superman smiled, remembering the first time she had said those words to him. It both saddened him and gave him hope.

He didn't give her an explanation.

"I was passing through and saw you, you looked." He paused, contemplating his next words. "Sad."

She smiled despite herself.

"You're a super man, not a psychiatrist," she quipped. "But thank you for worrying"

"I consider you a friend, Miss Lane"

"Funny, that's what the people say about you"

Superman was helpless from keeping his smile from showing, but it was always Lois's uncompromising faith in his alter-ego that gave him the courage to do what he does, and believe in it. If nothing else, seeing Lois's pride in him was enough to keep him going.

"Would you like to talk about it anyway?"

He knew this was not the way to go, but he needed to talk to her some how, and if being Superman was the only way to do it, he had to take that chance.

"No," she replied honestly. "But thank you, anyway." Superman understands. Suddenly, he hears sirens.

At the corner of her eyes, Lois notices his attention drift.

"Be careful"

Superman was momentarily surprised. During the last three months, Lois has become quite aware of his actions, seemingly noticing little things he did that warranted attention from afar. It continues to amaze him how supportive she was despite all the hardship life has thrown at her.

God, he wanted to hold her so bad.

"You too," he replied back before reluctantly flying off and leaving her.

Lois watched him fly away.

"As careful as I need to be," she says softly to herself.

**The Sullivan Building**

After her little breakdown with her cousin, and her impromptu meeting with Superman, Lois decided that a little walk could do her some good. She still had no idea how to go about her situation. She had always thought of herself to be independent and self-sufficient, but in a few short hours, she wrestled with multiple indecision's.

For the first time in her entire life, she didn't know what to do.

Unaware, she had walked herself to the Sullivan Building, and no, it has no relation to her cousin, Chloe Sullivan. Her fiancée, Bruce Wayne, owns the large residential complex and has been staying at the penthouse suite whenever he was in Metropolis.

Reaching his floor, she rings his doorbell.

A brief moment passed before he answered the door.

"Lois!" Bruce says excitedly. He leans in to kiss her, but Lois moved hesitantly to the side, feeling his kiss touch her cheek instead of her lips. He stops and looks at her with concern.

"Are you all right?" He gestures for her to enter, slowly, she does.

"I'm sorry for stopping in like this." Her mind seemed light years away. "I forgot my cell at my apartment"

"What! Don't be, you know you're welcome here any time"

She turned halfway through the door. "Bruce..." She takes a deep breath. "We need to talk"

**About half an hour later...**

"And that's pretty much it," she concluded.

Bruce had remained quiet throughout her entire circumstance. He has always been patient with her, and she was glad that he was displaying that very same quality in such a confusing time.

He stood up slowly and approached his fiancée.

Lois looked away, unable to stare him in the eyes.

She feels the touch of his hand on hers.

"I guess that means you don't want to marry me."

Lois turned with uncertainty. "Bruce... I..." And couldn't quite give him the words he deserved to hear from her.

"It's okay," he says in an attempt to console her. "I understand you're confused, and I want you to know that I'm here for you"

She hugs him desperately and wondered why, that even in the embrace of the man she was, is, going to marry, she felt... incomplete.

She realized that there is only one man that could give her all the answers, and it dreaded her to find out, because if anything, she knew in her heart she wasn't going to like the answers.

**Clark's Apartment**

Clark had just returned from his flight out in Metropolis. Chloe rushes to him anxiously.

"How is she?" She asked. Chloe did not want to leave her, but Lois insisted, and with the way things have gone, she wasn't about to argue with her.

"Better than I expected," admits Clark.

"She was pretty upset when I was with her"

"I wished she didn't find out the way she did," he commented, walking passed her. He sunk into his lazy boy and sighs.

Chloe follows, ending up on the sofa beside him.

"To be honest Clark, I'm glad." Off Clark's surprised look. She explained. "It's either sooner or later, and you were doing neither. At least now it's all out in the open"

Clark sighed.

"Almost all"

Chloe remembers. "Oh yeah. About that." She had momentarily forgotten Superman's part in all this. She had heard Clark talk about Lois's devotion to the 'Man of Steele' and for the most part, she was amused by it.

Here was a woman who trusts in a being not of this Earth, and Lois does so without fear. After discovering what Clark could do when they were in high school, Chloe often debated with herself why he had never told her.

But then she realized why.

He had been afraid.

Afraid of the possibility that he would be rejected because of who he is, where he came from, and what he could do.

Afraid that he would be alone.

But he was never afraid of Lois. He could no more hide who he was from her back then than he could when he made his debut as Superman a few months ago.

Because, he knew, in the bottom of his soul, that Lois would accept him without judgment. And twice in one lifetime, she had proven him right..

If anyone could survive this, it was Lois and Clark. She's willing to bet her life on it.

**Following Morning - Washington D.C. - General Lane's Office**

Lois had called in sick, for the first time since she had started working for Perry White, and requested that she take some time off. Perry, though, was skeptical. Even in her sickest of days, Lois Lane always managed to bring in the story, but in true Lois fashion, she had convinced him to give her the time off, even though she knew Perry wouldn't truly mind.

Reaching her destination, her time spent at Blue Cove were slowly coming back to her. She had forced her time there out of her memory that it literally became a chore for her to get them back, even resulting in an all night cram session in front of her laptop.

Entering his office, she spotted her father sitting at his desk, the phone in his ear.

He looks up and sees Lois. "Lois?" He was prepared for her arrival, he didn't think it was this soon.

She weakly waves at him.

"Hi, daddy"

"What are you doing here?" He asked even though he already knew why. The inevitable has arrived.

Lois didn't want to go through pleasantries. She needed to know. "What happened to me five years ago?" She asked him desperately. Her voice fading as she finished the question. A part of her dreaded to hear the answer.

The General reaches in his drawer and takes out a bottle. "Whiskey?" He offered.

"Please, don't evade the question. I need to know, what happened to me"

He fills his glass and gulps it down. "It's complicated," he answered. Exactly the kind of evasiveness his daughter didn't want to hear.

She asked him again. "What did you do to me?" Her voice becoming shaky.

"What I thought was right," and he takes another shot.

Memories of her first year after her alleged coma resurfaced, hitting her consciousness at full force.

"You put me on anti-depressants when you knew I didn't have to be, didn't you?" She accused, her father neither confirmed or denied it.

Lois's face turn stone cold.

"For a year, you and your doctors pumped me full of meds because you couldn't explain what was wrong with me. You took three years of my life and you did it against my own free will!" She inched closer to him. "Tell me I'm wrong, daddy. Tell me that my OWN father wouldn't do something like this to me?"

His eyes fell away from her, not that he was ever looking at her directly, but he still looked away.

"You wouldn't understand. No one could understand."

"WHY!" She yelled at him.

Now she knew, her father was guilty.

All the anger, frustrations, hate, regret, sadness, and complete and utter helplessness flowed out of her with intensity. The man that stood before her had suddenly stopped being her father. Sometimes, she thought that she had lost her father years ago, and now the man that carried his face was but a stranger.

A nobody.

And with that notion, she had nothing to hold back.

"I want to hear you say it," she pressed. "Tell me," she urged on.

"Lois"

"TELL ME!"

"YES! Is that what you wanted to hear. Yes Lo, I did it. I took you away from him, and if I was given a chance to go back, I wouldn't have changed a damn thing..."

SLAP!

Lois couldn't hold back her anger at her fathers confession. Even after everything he did, he truly believes that the years he took, the life he stole from her, was justified.

General Lane felt his cheek, the force of her hit had been stronger than he imagined. The years have certainly made her tough.

"He hasn't told you, has he, about what he is?"

Anger continued to pulse through her. "What the hell are you talking about?" she replied spitefully.

"Superman"

"Leave him out of this"

The General laughs lightly, he had no cards left accept that one he had just played. Clark Kent never told her he was Superman.

But his reaction to her made her even angrier.

"It has everything to do with him, Lo." His voice was calm and dangerous. Lois knew he was up to something.

"He's a good man, he's not here to hurt people"

"He's hurt you, hasn't he," he stated.

She was momentarily confused at why he was bringing Superman into this, but she quickly shut the thought and feeling away and refused to take the bait. "At first, I thought maybe you've gone insane, but now I think you're just a plain old 'Son of a Bitch.'"

She would not allow him to control her any longer.

Moving towards the opposite corner of his office, stood her father's display case where he kept a couple of his antique guns, and uses her elbow to break the glass.

General Lane moves in front of his desk. "Lo, what the hell are you doing?" He spoke loudly, his voice sounding like thunder.

Lois picked up the gun and put a single bullet in its chamber. She cocks it backwards and aims it at her father.

General Lane looks at her shell-shocked, as the same time, slowly retreating back behind his desk. "Lois, you don't know what you're doing." His attempts to calm her down didn't bring the barrel of the gun pointing any farther away from him.

"Lois," he pleaded.

"How does it feel not being in control, General?" Her voice becoming just as dangerous as his was seconds ago. The moment became eerily reminiscent of the past. "Say goodbye daddy"

She pulls the trigger.

"Lois!" he screamed.

BANG!

General Lane jumps at the sound, thinking he was shot. But as he looked at himself, he brought his eyes back to his daughter, her arm extended to her right and not to him.

He looked at where she shot.

It was the framed photo of himself, his deceased wife, and a young Lois. And she shattered it to pieces. The bullet penetrating its center.

It had been years since he had shed a tear, but at this moment, tears were piercing its way through his eyes and he willed them to stop. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

"Lois," he tried to speak. It was the first time the 3-Star General didn't know what to say.

"It's people like you that makes me sick being me." And with those final words, the thumping sound of the gun hitting the ground and Lois leaving his office was the last image he may ever see of her.

Sam Lane knelt down and picked up the shattered pieces of a family he had already lost years ago.

"What have I done?"

**Parking Lot**

"Miss Lane!" Some ranking officer called out to her as she reached her cab. Lois reluctantly turns around.

"Unless you're here to shoot me, I suggest you leave me alone before I really get violent"

He put his hands up, signaling that he meant her no harm. One of his hands held a manila folder.

"Here," he slowly dropped his arm to hand her the file.

Lois hesitates.

"What is it?"

"Everything," he stated.

Her eyes go wide, carefully taking the file from his hands. She looked at the tab.

Lois Lane... Kent.

**WASHINGTON AIRPORT**

On her way to her terminal, she dials her editor. "Perry White," he answered the phone commandingly.

"Hey Chief!"

"Lois. What do you want? Shouldn't you be in vacation?"

"I am, Chief. Have you heard from Clark? I've tried calling him, but he hasn't called me back"

"Hmm... He requested a few days leave, too. He's at Smallville right now, probably with his parents"

"Thanks Chief."

She hung up and dialed 411. It ran once. Twice. "Hello, hi. I need to find an address. Yes. Kent. K-E-N-T. Smallville, Kansas"

**SMALLVILLE, KANSAS**

The drive to Smallville, Kansas had been a mentally exhausting one. She had no game plan, all she knew was that she and Clark had to start somewhere, and if either of them were ever going to get closure, one of them had to make the first move, and frankly, she's had five years of waiting.

It would've been faster if she could fly, but there was a delay at Norfolk, and many flights had to be rerouted, so unfortunately, she couldn't get a flight out. She even went as far as thinking of jumping off the roof of a building, and being rescued by Superman, it could definitely better her chances at getting to her destination. I mean, what's a few miles in the air, you know.

**15 Minutes Later...**

Stepping out of her rented car and onto the driveway of the Kent Farm, a sudden brush of familiarity swept through her. Logically, she knew she had, mentally, her mind played constant games with her.

Looking around, there didn't seem anybody home. Slowly, she walked towards the house when a sudden vision of the past hit her.

_Flashback _

"Nice arm, Smallville. When's the first game?"

"I'm not on the team"

"Why not? An arm like that is a 'get out of geek' free pass"

"Even if I wanted to play..."

"Which obviously you do"

"That wouldn't be the reason. Thanks, I don't really consider myself a geek."

"So... what do you see yourself as?"

"I don't know. An outsider, I guess."

"That's a recipe for wedgies if I've ever heard one."

"Have I told you how much I'm going to miss you"

She grins playfully.

End of Flashback

Lois walked back to her car, almost breathless. The vision, memory, whatever you want to call it, she never saw faces before. Before, it was always her talking to someone she couldn't see. Someone she vaguely recognized. She always woke up remembering everything but their faces, or nothing at all. But now, it was all so clear.

And it felt... real.

She knew now more than ever that memories were made here and that she was going to fight like hell to get them back.

She shook her head. "Get a grip, Lois, you're losing it," she told herself. She sighs. "I'm already losing it," she succumbed.

Her one-person chat was suddenly interrupted, "Can I help you?" She heard a woman say from behind. Lois slowly turned around and met a pair of eyes she could swear she's seen before.

"Hi." World renowned reporter and that was all she could say.

The woman that greeted her seconds earlier didn't speak. She just stood there, frozen. Her mouth slightly agape. Lois took a few steps forward. "I'm sorry for stopping in like this, but I was wondering if you've seen Clark Kent?" She extended her arm to greet her. "I'm - "?

"Lois!" Before she knew it, she was engulfed in a very motherly hug. How she even thought it was motherly was beyond her, because it had been about 20 years since her own mother had hugged her. "It's so good to see you," the older woman uttered by Lois's ear.

"I'm sorry," she replied softly, stepping back a bit. Lois was reluctant to ask her the next question. "Do - We know each other?"

To her surprise, the woman didn't seem upset by it, just sad. Everyone she came in contact with seem to always look sad. She shook the thought away and focused on the task at hand.

"I'm Martha Kent," she introduced herself.

Lois smiled. Martha. "Clark's mom," she said.

Mrs. Kent returned the smile. "Yours too," she answered.

Lois was caught off-guard by her words. The sincerity in her voice proved to her she meant it, and the mere fact that she expressed that she too, was her mom overwhelmed her. With the exception of her father and Perry White, no other person has ever referred to her as their daughter, let alone a woman she had just met, at least, in her mind. She couldn't help but feel she was six again.

"Clark is in town with his father, they should be coming back in a couple of hours." She gestured towards her home. "Why don't you come in and have a cup of coffee with me. Catch up, even. You still like your coffee black?"

Lois looked at her and grinned, she had a feeling she was going to like Martha Kent. "Yeah. Yeah I do"

"Some things never change." The older Mrs. Kent takes her hand and leads her towards the house.

**KENT HOME**

Lois and Martha spent the next half hour talking about what's been happening in her life for the past few years. Being around Martha brought out feelings of familiarity she hadn't thought were there until they actually started talking.

"So - I - Uh - How did Clark and I meet, exactly?" She had to admit, she was curious as hell.

"He never told you?"

Lois shrugged. "He hasn't exactly been forthcoming with information." She paused. "We haven't exactly talked that much since I found out," she sadly admitted.

"This all must be so confusing for you"

"A little." Martha wasn't convinced. Lois tried again. "Okay, a lot."

Martha forced a smile. "When Clark lost you, he began to distance himself from people. Growing up, he always felt different, out-of-place, afraid even. His future was always so unclear that he was scared to live his life. And then you came along, and suddenly he could do anything."

Lois tried to smile, but it was difficult for her to imagine a guy like Clark Kent, who's investigative and writing skills rival her own, could be so insecure. And the idea that she was such an influence on him was more than a little surprising.

"Anyway," continued Mrs. Kent. "You and Clark met in a corn field"

With raised eyebrows. "Really?"

Martha smiled and nodded. "It's true. You were driving down Route 31 when a lightning strike drove you off the rode and into my son"

"I hit Clark!" shelooked horrified.

"Oh, no. Nothing like that. But if you want details, Clark is the person to ask"

Lois slumps, tracing the edge of her coffee cup. "Yeah," she quipped. "Won't that be fun."

As if on cue, Clark enters the kitchen with Jonathan behind.

"Mom, we're home." Clark stops when he notices the first set of eyes he lays upon on.

"Lois?"

Lois sheepishly waves to him.

"Hi, Clark"

Clark stood completely and utterly surprised, he couldn't speak. Jonathan on the other hand, spoke for him.

"Lois," he beamed.

Jonathan approached her with open arms, his embrace just about the same that Mrs. Kent had given her when she first came. This family did sure love to hug and despite herself and her upbringing, she loved hugging them right back.

As they parted.

"I take it you're Jonathan Kent," she couldn't help but say excitedly. The Kent's sure do know how to make a person feel special.

"That's me, all right." Jonathan eyed his son, whom has been staring mutely at the exchange. "Maybe Martha and I should leave you two to talk," he recommended out loud.

"I don't think that's..." Lois suddenly had a change of mind. She isn't read to talk to Clark just yet.

"Yeah," Clark interrupted her. "It can wait"

"I don't think it can," his mother replied.

"You're mother's right son, you two need to start communicating, as I recall, you two were pretty good at it"

"Yeah, well, that was a long time ago. Unfortunately, a lot of things has changed." He hadn't meant it to come out negatively.

Lois looks at him annoyingly.

Clark turned to head back outside until his mother spoke and stopped him.

"Clark Joseph Kent. She's your wife"

He childishly turns around. "Sorry, Mom. But only one of us seems to remember that. The laws of marriage don't apply to us"

Lois tried not to roll her eyes. "You make it sound like this is all my fault," she defended, finally speaking up. "And you're the one who kept 'OUR' marriage a secret from me!" Her emotions flowing fast like the speed of light.

"I did it to protect you!" He reminded her. "And since when have I ever said it was your fault."

"It was NOBODY'S fault," Martha chimed in, silencing the two. It was high school all over again. "You're not teenagers anymore. You're adults now, start acting like one."

She silently smiled to herself, it was good to see the two of them bicker again, it was music to her ears. She looked at her son and calmed her voice.

"Now go up and fix Lois's room?"

"Mom!"

Jonathan smirked behind them, it was just like old times.

"No questions"

Clark sighed. He looked at Lois for a moment before heading upstairs to prepare her room.

"I'll go up and give him a hand," added Jonathan, who rushed up after his son.

Lois angrily watched Clark go up the stairs before turning her attention back to his mother.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent, I shouldn't be here."

She tried to leave but Martha blocked her path. For someone her age, she's as quick on her feet as her son.

"No, Lois. You were meant to be here. Just like you were meant to meet my son. You may find this hard to believe, you weren't the only one lost to Clark. Jonathan and I lost you too." She closed the gap between them. "And we've missed you just as much," she expressed truthfully as she once again gathered Lois in her arms.

They both began to weep, and as Lois was held in Martha's arms as if she's done it thousands of times before, she spoke in between sobs.

"I'm sorry," she cried.

"Shhhh," comforted Martha. She held onto the girl like there was no tomorrow. Martha had always known her to be strong, and to see her so fragile broke her heart.

"I'm trying to remember," the young woman continued.

"I know, sweetie. I know." Unbeknownst to the two, Clark watched from above the stairs, tears finally streaming down his face. He feels the touch of his father's hand rest atop his shoulder, both as a form of fatherly comfort, and a reminder that he isn't alone. His tears wasn't just because Lois knew, it was because he was actually finally looking forward to the future.

**THE BARN**

Staring at the vast expanse of the farm through his loft window, he had taken a few minutes to watch the sun rise high above. He often found himself reflecting on his past when he was there, a past that didn't seem so distant anymore.

"Clark?"

He rushed to put on his glasses before turning. He had taken them off for a while.

"Lois," he says, his mind racing with words he can't quite catch. Since discovering her in his living room the night before, he had spent the hours leading up to the morning light in deep thought.

Looking past him. "Wow," she spoke in astonishment. Clark was mildly confused until he saw her staring out the same window he had been at before she arrived.

"I know," he began thoughtfully.

"I've watched the sun rise from here since I was a kid. It never loses its novelty." He grins, "Plus, no tourists."

Lois laughs.

"I suppose so," she says in a soft tone.

Clark stopped himself briefly before looking at her intently, but naturally, he averted his eyes because he didn't want to get caught staring.

"How much do you know?" He weakly asked her, but Lois knew he was struggling with inside himself. The things he can say and not say. At some level, she understood.

So then, she presented him a manila folder she held behind her. "A lot of it is medically related," she says dropping the file on a nearby table. "Everything in between has this giant neon sign saying 'NO CLUE,'" she gestured above head.

Clark chuckled. Regardless of the seriousness of the situation, it was nice to finally show some genuine affection towards her, even if things are strained between them.

"When I saw it was you in Perry's office, my heart stopped," he revealed almost out of the blue.

Lois looked at him with uncertainty. She oddly felt like reaching out to him, and assumed that it was just the knowledge of them being husband and wife, making her feel such things. Besides, it was unfair to try to comfort him when she herself was just as lost.

Clark continued... "When I realized you didn't remember..." His head hung low. "It felt like the final nail in the coffin"

"I'm sorry," she says genuinely. She could honestly relate. She had just wished she remembered. "It wasn't your fault," she assured him.

She looked out his loft window and noticed Clark's parents up, sitting on the porch with what looked like a good cup of coffee.

"They're amazing," she whispered.

Clark follows her gaze.

"Yeah, they really are"

"We'd be there right now if they had just left us alone, wouldn't we?" Her voice nearly cracking at the thought of the possibility.

She never really saw herself as the 'growing old with a partner type,' but there was something inextricably different, maybe even alluring, when imagining it happening with Clark. She wasn't quite sure if she's just confusing her feelings with everything that's been going on, or it was just something she felt she wanted.

Clark nods sadly. It was moments like these where he wanted to throw all caution into the wind and take her in his arms, never letting go. And hearing her mention her father as 'they' reaffirmed his need to take her pain away. It seemed clear that she had gone to see her father, he'd just wish he hadn't let her do it alone.

"This really... sucks," she comments lightly, breaking Clark out of his thoughts. She continued to stare at Martha and Jonathan Kent, whom embodied the true essence of marriage. She hadn't ever realized such love and devotion existed.

He smiles, he could never stop himself from smiling whenever Lois would do something so lightheartedly endearing. And she does it so without effort.

Taking things a little more seriously, even though he would much rather stand there with Lois and talk about all things but the obvious all day. He knew that if either of them waited any longer, they would go insane.

"Look, Lois. I want you to know that I don't have any expectations. If you want a divorce, or whatever, I'll give it to you," he spoke suddenly and without much thought, he felt the need to make her happy.

Lois turned abruptly and looked at him like he was crazy. "No, Clark. That isn't why I'm here," she clarified resolutely.

Eyes wide. "It isn't?" He hoped he heard her right.

Lois couldn't help but smile. She liked this Clark far better than the clumsy one she had known for the past few months.

"Believe it or not, I actually want those three years back," she says honestly. She also didn't want to give him false hope. "I can't guarantee everything will go back to the way we left it, but at least we can move forward from this"

Clark relaxed like never before.

"So you won't be getting married?" Honestly, could he get anymore childish, he thought to himself.

"No," Lois answered without hesitation. She could see that her partner is trying to hide his smile. "You really don't like Bruce, do you?"

He shrugs. "Not so much the person than it is the fact that it's you he wants to marry." Not to mention that side bit of fighting crime dressed like a rodent, but she didn't have to know that yet.

Lois nods in amusement, her face softening.

"There were a lot of good memories here, weren't there?" She added with a desperate need to know. Even when every answer would become a deep cut into her soul.

He smiled again at her.

"The best memories I've had was when I was with you, it never really mattered to me where it took place." He stopped when he realized what he had just told her.

She looked at him with considerable interest. I mean, she always knew that there was some kind of spark between them, the way they can just so easily understand one another, the subtle changes in the way they look at each other. There's this sense, this awareness. Or was it just chemistry?

"You know, I've been so caught up at everything that's been happening to me, I never really stopped to think... I can't experience the loss so much because I don't remember it." She paused regretfully. "But you do, don't you"

"I get by," he lied miserably, and Lois knew that.

"You have to stop doing that"

"What do you mean?"

"That," she pointed out. "Stop doing that, it's not helping." He really needed to stop blaming himself for what happened. Even if she didn't remember any of it. It was starting to grate her nerves.

"I'm sorry," he professed.

"No! Stop doing that either," she exclaimed. He needed to stop doing that too. Lois continued, "Don't be Sorry - You shouldn't be sorry because you have nothing to be sorry about, none of this was our fault"

"I saw him take you away," he revealed to her, recalling the events that have regained its vividness in his mind after so many years locked up from his consciousness. "And I couldn't get to you," he continues with eyes glistening.

Lois unknowingly closed the gap that was between them and held his hands with her own. She didn't say anything. What could she possibly say? All she knew was that she was seeing Clark relive the past he seemed to try not to remember when there she was, doing the exact opposite.

"Lois! Clark!" Mrs. Kent's voice called out below.

Lois pulled her hand slowly away, and Clark resisted, a little.

"We should head back," she says sprinting quickly towards the stairs, confused at how she reacted towards Clark, her memories may be gone, but there were emotions that lingered that made her feel so connected with him. It scared her a bit.

"I can smell your mom's cooking all the way from here," she uttered before disappearing. It was good for Clark that she didn't disappear in his eyes.

"Yeah," he whispered to himself with renewed hope.

**KENT FARM**

As the day continued, Lois and Clark remained uncharacteristically quiet with one another. One or the other, always had too much on their minds to breach any kind of sensitive subject.

By days' end, Lois thought it was time to actually have a real conversation. From the Kent Porch, she could see Clark looking up into the sky from his loft window.

Smiling to herself, she couldn't help but notice how well his white t-shirt shaped his surprisingly well-toned upper body physique.

"My god, what do they feed these farm boys in this town," she commented to herself, admiring the view. Before she knew it, she was at the bottom of the Barn stairs.

"What's so special up there?" she said as she climbed the steps.

"Huh," Clark turned, a little flabbergasted. He was so lost in thought, he never saw her coming.

As she neared, Lois lifted her head back to stare at the sky after seeing Clark's momentary confusion.

"The stars," she says. "Even back in Metropolis, sometimes, I would catch you looking out into the stars, especially when we were pulling an all nighter," she observed, recollecting the nights that Perry had them stay at work to finish up a story, or follow some lead.

"It's a comfort to me"

She smiles sincerely. "I'm glad," she says.

Lois looked at him a little closer, noting a vague familiarity in his features. He was much more calmer, laid back, confident yet personal at the same time.

"You know, you're pretty different," she added with a tiny bit of adoration.

"What do you mean?" he replied, slightly nervous by the question. Does she suspect something about him and Superman? If so, it would bring up so many other questions and complications to the one's they already had.

She smiles at him warmly.

"Was the geekish attitude all an act, because, from what I've been seeing the past few days, there's a fair amount of proof that proves otherwise"

It was Clark's turn to smile back, but he quickly saddened.

"I didn't know how to... explain things to you," he admits regretfully. "I didn't know what exactly was going on... I didn't want to complicate things"

"So you would rather build up the complication rather than deal with it?" she replied with vigor, feeling the sudden shift in conversation.

"That's not what I was trying to do"

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around all this. You, my father..." she says. "Me!" she added with emphasis. She has had a better time digesting everything that has happened to her while staying at the Kent Farm.

"You knew nothing about me or our life together, Lois, how was I suppose to react?" His voice growing louder by each word.

"I don't know!" She replied back with equal force. And she really didn't know. She had practically lost the only identity she was aware of within a span of a couple of days, and in its place was something else that was always far from her reach.

"Look, it wasn't easy for me either. Do you think I like watching you go about your life, and with other people? Particularly Bruce Wayne!" After everything that they had been through, they had an uncanny ability to always find time to argue.

She turned to him, her eyes grasping his.

"That's not fair," she replied in an almost defeated tone. "I don't blame you for the past five years - But I am blaming you for the past three months," her voice suddenly cracking. "You should've told me," she added. She needed to know that she could trust him.

Clark was so tired, and he could do nothing but one thing.

Without a word, he moved to kiss her, his hands cupping her cheeks. For a second, Lois stood surprised, her hands resting above his heart, feeling it beat, its rhythm quickening by the second. Unable to suppress what was coming alive inside of her, she returned his affection with a fervor of passion long withheld from them.

Clark held himself against her, basking in every shiver of pleasure as if it was his last gasp of air, his final sip of wine. And then afterward, they stood quietly, wrapped in each other's embrace. The trance was broken when Lois moved away, her face a mixture of confusion and denial.

"What just happened?" she asked, her mind still dazed.

"I kissed you"

"Why?"

He sighed, there were so many reasons. "Because I've wanted to for a long time. Because I love you. Because you're my wife. Because..."

She put her hand up. "Okay, okay, I get it, bad question." She rested her hand on her forehead as she turned her back on him.

"You kissed me back," she heard him say.

Lois's hand fell from her forehead, and reluctantly turned around to face him. The feeling that embraced her when they kissed... it was hard to forget.

"I seriously need a drink," she looked away changing the subject, making a mad dash to the stairs.

Clark follows her. "Why can't you just admit that there's something there?" he argued with her.

She stopped and turned.

"What do you want me to say? That I liked it?" she argued back. "All right, fine! Maybe, somewhere very deep inside me is some eensy-weensy, microscopic, although highly unlikely possibility that I feel some sort of unmotivated, completely unrealistic attraction to you," she says breathlessly as Lois quickly turned and walked off, leaving Clark overwhelmed and befuddled.

A small smile escaped his lips when he realized that he found himself falling in love with Lois Lane all over again.

Meanwhile, Lois walked back to the Kent Home shaking her head. She was falling for Clark Kent, and she didn't even see it coming. And she wasn't lying when she said she needed a drink.

**Route 31**

As Clark spent the morning helping his dad out on the farm, Lois decided to go for a little ride, clearing her head, or at least in her case, trying to fill them.

From what she recalled from her conversation with Clark's mom, she and Clark had first met on the side of the road right on Route 31, and thought maybe it could jog some memories. Looking at things from her perspective, corn, corn, and more corn was all she saw in the distance.

"You've got to be kidding me," she reflected jokingly as she looked at the rows of cornfields that seemed to stretch for miles.

Pulling over, she stepped out and walked around.

"It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, except, this is a needle in Kansas," she continued talking to herself.

Walking along the side of the road, she didn't sense anything familiar. Just corn, corn, and has she mentioned more corn? Looking around, something came to her.

_Flashback _

Lois exited her car and saw a naked man lying on the ground. She approached cautiously as he pushed himself into a standing position facing away from her.

"Are you okay? What's your name?"

"I don't know."

"I need to get you to a hospital."

"I am fine"

"You've just been hit by lighting. You're stark naked and you don't even remember your own name. You have a fairly loose definition of 'fine.'"

Clark finally decided to turn around and face her. Lois averted her gaze momentarily. "Look at his face," she told herself, but didn't take her advice. After a long moment she finally said, "I have a blanket in the trunk, don't move."

"Wait," Clark said. "Who are you?"

"Lois. Lois Lane."

End of Flashback

"Whoa!" she said to herself, clutching her forehead in obvious discomfort. Before she could question what she had just experienced, her head had begun aching as soon as the vision... memory ended. It felt too closely like a migraine and it didn't let out.

As she attempted to go to her car, another vehicle fast approached, and her head wasn't clear enough for her to get out of the way.

When finally seeing the car in view, she was too late.

"Oh God"

She closed her eyes awaiting impact when suddenly, she heard a swoosh, a loud bang, and a gush of wind escape through her.

Opening her eyes, she sighed in relief. "You're timing is impeccable," she complimented as one hand massaged her temple.

Superman had appeared in front of Lois before impact, stopping the car carefully.

"Miss Lane, what have I said about running head long into danger?" he confronted.

"That it was daring and impulsive." Even with the pain, she couldn't help but flirt with the hero.

"Yes, of course, except my exact words was _don't_."

She chuckled. "Sorry, won't happen again, Superman." She bent down, holding her head in her hands. The headache not subsiding.

Superman immediately speeded next to her, trying to hide his worry. "Miss Lane!" he called out, holding her gently on the shoulders. "Lois," he says once more, unaware of the shift in name calling.

Lois though, caught the slip. Superman had never called her by her first name, and it sounded awfully familiar coming from his mouth.

Regardless of the pain she was feeling, she raised her head.

"What?" she says confusingly.

Cupping her face with his hands, "Are you all right?" Lois was shocked. It couldn't be, could it? His eyes, the way he looks at her, the way he held her cheeks. The pieces suddenly coming all together.

"Take me home," she let out softly, trying her damn hardest not to shed a tear.

Superman quickly agreed, carefully scooping her up in his arms and flying her home.

Less than a minute later, they softly land in front of the Kent Farm.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, you may want to have a doctor take a look at that?"

She waves him off, trying not to look at him. "I'll be fine, thanks."

"All right," he replied reluctantly. He flies off.

A few minutes later, Lois sees a pick-up truck drive up the driveway. It was Clark.

Lois looked away again temporarily. His disappearing acts suddenly making sense, and how she never saw the two of them together, ever. Her sudden headache-induced memory would have to wait, she needed to talk about this with him first.

"Lois, you okay?" says Clark, interrupting her thoughts.

She couldn't help but marvel at the difference.

"Clark," she began when another car, a limo to be exact, pulled up right behind them. A gentleman stepped out.

Lois and Clark looked at him.

"Bruce," they say simultaneously.

All three stood still. Glad that the throbbing in her head had stopped, Lois glanced back and forth, and from what she saw, Clark and Bruce had some kind staring contest going on that she could only deduce as male testosterone.

"Here comes the awkward tension," Lois sarcastically uttered, breaking both males attention.

"Could I speak with my fiancée alone?" Bruce politely requested.

Clark shook his head confidently, annoyed by him referencing Lois as 'his fiancée.'

"Not really"

The two then continued their staring contest as Lois desperately tried not to roll her eyes. Past husband meeting prospective future husband. Not the kind of meeting she'd expect to have in any lifetime, but sure enough, here it was.

"I understand this is an 'unusual' situation, but Lois and I are still engaged," Bruce reminded him.

"You're right, this is unusual," he agreed. "Lois is still my wife," he replied cockily. Past or present, Lois had always brought out the arrogance in him.

Before things got out of hand, Lois speaks out.

"Bruce, could you wait in the living room, I'll be right there," she informed, making Clark look away as the pang of jealousy pierced at him slowly and painfully.

Bruce's face remained expressionless. "Of course," says Bruce as he kissed her on the cheek before heading inside.

When they were clear. "Clark, what the hell was that?" Lois blurted out a little angrily.

"I thought you two weren't together anymore," he complained.

"No, I said he and I weren't getting married"

"Does he know that?" he shot out, his voice, although jealous, was still covered in a whisper.

She sighed. "Don't tell me your jealous." She couldn't believe that Clark Kent, who also happens to be Superman, was jealous. How could she have not connected the two?

"I'm your husband, I have a right to be"

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. Knowing she was married to Clark Kent was one thing, but Superman, the world's greatest hero. That changes everything. She even wondered if she always knew that part of him, and to be honest, she doesn't really know Superman all that well except that she trusts him explicitly.

Before things get even more confusing for her...

"Could I just have a few minutes with him?" She stops when she realized what she had asked. "You know what, never mind. I don't even know why I asked your permission"

"Lois"

She points at him. "Could you stand at the barn or something?" Then the thought of commanding Superman left her a little amused.

Clark gives her a look, refusing to move.

"Okay, fine," she said in defeat. "Stand there if that works for you." She goes into the house, leaving Clark at the porch.

**Kent Living Room**

"He seemed a little more hostile since the last I saw him," Bruce says attempting to lighten the mood.

"We're just going through a lot right now." Superman is Clark Kent. Clark Kent is Superman. How the hell does that work? The mental debate in her head refuses to let it go, even in the presence of her fiancée.

"Noted," he replied in understanding before putting his attention to the photos displayed throughout the living room. One particular frame caught his eye.

Picking it up...

"You're beautiful," he commented on it, glancing up at Lois as he did.

Raising an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, curiously wondering what he was holding and finally breaking Superman and Clark's hold on her. She gives him her full attention.

Bruce flipped the frame around for her to see as Lois's eyes go wide.

"Oh"

It's a photo of her wedding to Clark. She didn't even know it was there, she spent most of her time either in Clark's old room, the kitchen, around the farm, and hell, she even spends more time in the bathroom than the living room. So when she saw the Wedding Frame in his hand, the photo it held made her speechless.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen this?" Bruce observed.

"I haven't had a chance to look around," she sadly admitted.

Realizing his place in her life. "I don't have a chance now, do I?" he resigned.

Bruce thought maybe coming to Smallville would give him a chance to truly win her for himself, but now, being around Lois with Clark Kent, her real husband, confirmed what he didn't want to let himself believe - that no matter how much he had her - there would always be something missing, something that he didn't have, and that only Clark Kent would.

"Bruce"

"No, Lois, it's okay. I thought that after Selena, falling in love wasn't in the cards for me, but you gave me that, and... it made me happy," he expressed genuinely. He prided himself on control, but he never felt embarrassed or weak when he showed that 'loss' of control around her.

"I wish it didn't end this way," she says.

"But you knew it would end," he stated matter-of-factly. There was no malice in his voice, he just stated what was true.

"I don't really know"

"I think you do"

"Why does everybody think they're a shrink?" She remarked sarcastically. First there was Superman back in Metropolis, now Bruce Wayne. She thinks maybe she's losing her edge.

"I can tell he loves you"

Surprised at his words. "I know," she replied softly. If she didn't know anything else in the world, she knew that.

"That's all right by me"

"Thank you"

He smiled. "I should be thanking you." Lois reached out and hugged him.

**Kent Porch**

Exiting the Kent Home, Bruce turned his attention to Clark Kent.

"Let's get one thing clear here, Mr. Kent," he began. "You don't like me." Clark gives no reaction. "So I'll give you the same courtesy and say that I don't like you either." Bruce closes the gap between them and takes one last look at Lois Lane. "You take care of our girl," he threatened lightly. "Because if you don't, we're going to have a problem."

Bruce smoothly puts his sunglasses on and walked towards his limo. Leaving that part of his life, albeit reluctantly, behind. He knew who's place belonged in Lois's heart, and he won't be the one to come between them.

Clark grinned. Bruce didn't seem too bad a guy after all, even with the outfit. He mentally smacked himself about the insult, reminding himself that Bruce isn't the only one playing hero with a cape.

"I see you two didn't kill each other," Lois gratefully commented from behind. "I gotta admit, I was a little worried. If you two had stared at each other any longer, I could almost swear you'd burn him down or something."

Clark gives her a sheepish grin, not catching the hint. She had no idea, he thought to himself. Some times it felt like her memory was coming back in bits and pieces, like puzzles in a 250 puzzle set, except, they're being placed in the wrong order.

"So what do we do now?" asks Clark.

"There's something that I haven't been exactly forthcoming about, and I thought it was time to actually share them with you than ignoring it."

"What's that?"

Lois initially intended on talking about her memories, but some other issue needed to be talked about between them, and after having a momentary flash of hesitancy, she says...

"Superman"

**KENT PORCH**

His eyes go wide, and his nerves begin to tighten.

"What about Superman?" Clark pretended not to know. Too bad his wife wasn't taking it.

"Don't lie to me, Smallville. It doesn't suit you"

"Lois"

"Superman," she says once more, and this time, she said it directly at him.

He looked down to his feet, taking a deep breath. Strike two for him. He had really went about this situation without really thinking how it would affect her.

Removing his glasses, he held it in his hands. "Was it the glasses? I always take them off when I go to sleep, sometimes I forget to put them back on when I wake up," he softly mumbles, sounding like a nervous schoolboy.

She shakes her head.

"You saw me?" he tried a second time.

Again, Lois shakes her heard.

"Then how did you..." he began, nervous to complete his sentence.

"Find out?" She finished for him.

Clark nods.

"Since yesterday. How did I figure it out?" she asked, "When you did this," she continued reaching up and touching Clark's cheek.

Clark took in the feel of her hand against his face.

"You've touched me before. Both of you, but I guess after everything that's happened, and almost getting run over kind of heightened everything ... all my senses." Lois takes his glasses from his hands. "Sort of like putting on a pair of glasses," she completed, slipping it back on his face.

Clark was speechless. "I didn't mean to..."

"Lie to me," she completed his sentence again. "I know"

His head falters, he didn't know what to say anymore.

"Have I..." she quietly began to ask.

"Always known?" This time, completing her words for her, their minds so attuned with one another. He nods. "Yes"

"Oh. Good," she replied deeply relieved.

"Superman is what I can do. Clark Kent is who I am," he explained earnestly.

"I know who you are, Kent," she tells him before beginning to pace back and forth on the porch. "It's just that." Thinking of the words to say. "... You literally pretended to be two people from me. And here I thought you were just a very conservative person. It never once crossed my mind that you'd be holding up a bridge somewhere or rescuing a bus falling off a cliff"

"Lois, I don't know..."

"Whatever happened to truth, justice, and the American way," she interrupted him, reminding him of those very three words he used in their first interview.

"Look, just because I didn't come out and say it, didn't mean I was completely lying to you," he says in his defense.

"Three months, Clark," she reminded him, pointing them out with three fingers. "Not only did you keep our marriage a secret, but Superman! Don't you think Ideserved the truth."

"You were the one infatuated with him," he argued defiantly.

"Oh, like not every heterosexual female in this world didn't," she quickly retorted with not much thought.

"Okay, you know what, that's not funny"

"Well, I wasn't joking"

He throws up his hands. "It seems like, no matter what I do, I end up hurting you anyway," he sighs in defeat.

This wasn't how she envisioned their discussion going but at least it was all out in the open. "I'm not hurt," she exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing his hand, assuring him that despite the secrecy, she is grateful.

They were looking straight at each others eyes now, their brief argument suddenly fading into the background.

Lois tried her best to regain her bearing. "Yes, I'm mad. Really really mad, but I'm not hurt. That and I'm also incredibly confused. I -- "

"Clark, could you set up the table?" Martha called out from behind. Lois and Clark broke eye contact at the sound of her voice. Lois couldn't help but think, that when she heard his mother's voice, it suddenly occurred to her that Superman had parents, and they were Martha and Jonathan Kent.

Reluctantly, "I'll be right back," Clark says to Lois insisting that they resume their conversation.

"I'm not going anywhere," she replied and meant every word of it.

Clark moves into the house.

Seeing the two, Martha saw a bit of tension between them and decided to see if her daughter-in-law was all right.

"Lois"

The young woman turns. "Hey, Mrs. Kent"

"Please, Lois, call me Martha"

She nods. "Okay, Martha." Lois smiled warmly at her.

"It seemed like I interrupted something important"

"Learning that your husband is more than he claims to be, yeah, that'll definitely constitutes as important"

Martha raised her head knowingly, seeing through her words.

"I see you've learned about Clark's other super qualities"

Lois looked at Martha, mildly surprised. "How did you know?"

Martha laughs. "I remember the first time you found out, you were just - surprised. And being the tough girl that you are, it took something truly amazing to leave that kind of impression."

"I'm relieved that I knew"

"Of course!" Martha reaffirmed. "You knew everything about Clark before you two were actually together"

Lois slightly blushed. "I just can't believe a pair of glasses fooled me all these months. I mean, the entire world being completely oblivious to it was fine, but they didn't work with him day in and day out." She threw her hands out. "Am I really that stupid?"

Martha gave her an understanding smile.

"Not stupid," she says in comfort. "Blind," she adds. "Blind to the things that matter. Even if you don't remember everything, you can't help but feel something. Maybe it was just you trying not to see past what was there, because it's safe." She looked at her girl adoringly. "It's okay to let go, Lois, we'll take care of you"

"You know what's strange?"

"What?" asked Martha.

With her eyes glistening, "Even though I don't remember you, I believe you," she tells her wholeheartedly.

Tonight may be the night that tomorrow would start a new beginning.

**The End **

Author's Notes: Sequel is _Resurrection_


	3. 2200 Resurrection

**Title**: 2200 Resurrection (3 of 3)  
**Author**: Nadia Mack  
**Spoilers**: Smallville, LnC, Comics, Superman, etc.  
**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.  
**Summary**: The Conclusion to the 2200 Series. After the events of Taken and Aftermath, Lois and Clark embark on a more arduous journey. Memories of the past threaten to take away little of what's left in Lois's mind as family and friends race to save her.

It's been over a month since the revelation of Lois Lane's life unfolded before her like a ball of string, and after the few days spent back at the Kent Farm, Perry White, Lane and Kent's Editor at The Daily Planet, urged them to return to work immediately.

Tension has pretty much made its presence known as Lois and Clark tried to go about their work day normally. The outside world completely oblivious to their marriage of five and a half years. News stations like CNN and 20/20 continue their attempt to get an exclusive interview with Lois Lane and question her about the uncharacteristic fall of her engagement to multi-billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne.

"Ugh!" Slamming the phone on her desk, she looks at Clark apologetically, who sat opposite her desk. "That's about the 300th call I've received," she says tiredly. "I need to hire myself a secretary," she remarked jokingly.

Clark chuckled. "We can always change your extension," he suggests.

"Not gonna happen." She covers her head with her hands. "My profession is public domain and so is my number," she lightly reminded him. Their relationship had been... interesting.

Lois was grateful that Clark was neither pulling nor pushing; he was simply there and it made all the difference in the world to her.

For Clark, he was just happy they were kind of together and still married.

"Maybe it'll do you some good if you just make some kind of formal statement, you know, to make the media happy"

"I appreciate the support, Clark, really, but I can't. I won't."

"Why?"

Lois sighed and eyed the conference at the other side of the room. Clark nods subtly, knowing what she was trying to say. They have become quite adapt to silent communication, especially when everyone around them is under the impression that they were just co-workers.

Sadly, it's partly true, technically, they were anything but.

Closing the door behind him, Clark reached out and shut the blinds. "All right, Lois. Why?"

Outside, Jimmy Olsen watched curiously as Clark, or C.K., as he often calls him; close the blinds of the conference room. After a second of contemplation, he is rocked out of his thoughts by Chief's infamous growls.

"Dammit, Olsen, what the hell are you standing around for?" he uttered loudly as he almost ran into the kid.

"Sorry, Chief"

"Get back to work!"

"Right away, Chief." Jimmy gathered up his things, quickly forgetting all about Lois and Clark.

In the Conference Room, Lois continued to give Clark the silent treatment, not out of malice or anything; she just wanted to sort out her thoughts correctly so there wasn't any misunderstanding. Clark though, remained impatient.

"Well..."

"It's not that simple"

"What?" he wondered.

"The truth"

Clark isn't buying it. "Lois, you're just going to tell them that you and Bruce separated on good terms, what could possibly go wrong there, particularly since Bruce himself agrees"

"This naiveté of yours is adorable, but get REAL, Kent," she commented.

If there has been any forward motion in their relationship, it would be that they're very open about their attraction to one another - Lois no longer tip-toes around the idea of Superman and Clark Kent were one of the same, she had gotten used to the fact weeks ago. But that knowledge alone didn't stop the growing feeling that has done nothing but increase since the moment she discovered who Clark really was to her. She knew now that it wasn't all about their forgotten marriage.

"The media craves news," she continued getting back on track. "Once I put my voice out there, they'll dig and dig and dig, and when they find something that could sell their story, they'll bury me," she explains with great seriousness.

"You don't know that"

"That's the thing," she replied. "I do, because it's the exactly what I would do." Off Clark's surprise look, and when he tries to put a voice in, Lois's hand stops him. "I'm been doing this longer than you, so let me explain. When an injustice has been committed, we have an obligation to the public to protect them."

She uses her earlier words to emphasize her point. "And I'll dig and dig and dig, and when I find something legitimate, I'll bury them," she said passionately.

Stopping to relax herself, she looked at Clark, her eyes softening in front of his gaze. "Superman fights against the bad with his strength and power," she pauses. "I fight them with my words," she completed using Superman in a third-person point-of-view.

Nowadays, all they could do is be careful.

After everything that they've been through, Clark stares at his wife in deep and utter amazement. Lois always managed to surprise him. How she does it so effortlessly makes him fall deeper in love with her than he already has, if such a thing was possible. She was right; they were heroes in their own ways. Clark as Superman. Lois Lane as a Journalist. They knew their calling, and they accepted it. They accepted it because they believed in it.

"You saved me, you know that." The words left his lips before he can contemplate what he had said.

It was Lois's turn to look surprised.

He continued. "You always had a way of making everything, even the most impossible situation, make sense."

She didn't question his confession. "I've had a very vigilant listener," she complimented him.

Clark's attention suddenly skyrocketed past her. He could hear sirens just a couple of miles away. Lois catches the change and understood immediately.

"Go"

"What about you?"

"I'll deal with Chief," she assured looking out that window that displayed The City of Tomorrow. "They need you," she adds, referring to the people calling out for help.

"So do you"

Clark really needed to stop and think before he blurts something like that out. Yet again, to his surprise, Lois doesn't take offense.

"I'll manage," she smirked. "Now, go"

Before Clark could stop himself, he instinctively reached to grab her hand, lifting it to his lips before reluctantly letting it go. He ran out of the conference room, and when it was safe enough, he speeded off as Superman.

At the opposite side of the world, on a base in Okinawa, Japan, General Sam Lane stood commandingly, with a cigar held in one hand.

He takes a puff.

"What the hell do you want?" He questioned without feeling.

"You went back on your word"

"My word," he turned to him dangerously. "Nearly took the life of my daughter. Don't think I haven't forgotten"

"An unfortunate side affect. You knew the risks"

"You knew it better," he strikes back, the sting his failure to keep his daughter safe still feeling fresh. He hadn't spoken to her for over a month. He even went as far as picking up the phone to call her, but he always fell a few digits short of dialing.

Lois, his first daughter, was never far from his thoughts. He often wondered what his life would be like if her mother, his wife, had lived. Would they be the happy family he had once dreamed of? That would always be the question that lingered in his mind, even when he wished he didn't.

"It's all in the past, General. We have a lot more important matters to discuss"

At this, the now 4-Star General couldn't keep his cool. He grabbed the man and slammed him against a wall, his left forearm sinking deep in his throat as he dangled his cigar with his other hand dangerously close to his face.

"My daughter is IMPORTANT," he whispered deadly.

The young man felt paralyzed.

"We had a deal," he says back, his lungs struggling to breath.

The General threw him off on the side.

"Get out of my sight, or I'll kill you right now"

"You'll regret this"

He shook his head mockingly. "No I won't. I've got nothing else to regret." He takes another puff of his cigar, leaving.

Alone, standing there and watching General Lane leave, he picked up his cell phone and flipped it open. Putting it to his ears, "This is Luthor, get me my father, we have a problem."

Its night time and the stars in the sky were blocked by Metropolis's tall skyscrapers. In Lois's apartment, she is seen stirring in her sleep, and dreaming of the first few days coming out of her coma.

_Dream _

Surrounded by white walls that seemed to move for miles.

"So what we're looking at here is anterior-gray amnesia. Basically short-term memory loss. Nothing to get too worried about," the doctor explained as he wheeled her down the hall and into another examination room.

"Nothing to get too worried about," Lois repeated dryly. She just wanted to go back to sleep and never wake up again.

"These episodes usually sort themselves out in a couple of days, a couple of weeks."

"You're telling me that I lost 3 years of my life," the whole situation seemed so surreal to her.

"Think of it as if your life's a puzzle that's been jumbled up. All the pieces are still there, we just have to put them back together. Fit them in the right order and place."

End of Dream

Eyes flapping open, she surveyed her surroundings and was relieved to see that it was all a memory, that she was safe back in her apartment. But what is safe nowadays?

Nowadays, no one is ever safe, whether walking down the street or in one's own mind.

Nothing is truly ever safe.

Sitting up, she took a good look out her window and wondered if Clark was out somewhere, like in Asia, stopping a volcano or something.

Unable to keep herself from chuckling at the thought, even at the privacy of her own home, she can't help but continue to think about the dichotomy of one Clark Kent, and how truly amazing he is. How he even keeps up this charade of dual identities continues to astound her.

On more serious matters, her headaches have become increasingly worse. Her memories hitting her hard and fast, and the worst moments are when it lingers.

Standing up and walking in her bathroom, she opens the medicine cabinet to pop a couple of painkillers. Washing her face in cold water, she found herself looking in her mirror, and a memory hits.

_"Nothing like a North by Northwest action to get the blood pumping," she says as she entered a steam-filled bathroom._

At the same time, Superman had arrived back to his apartment and changed into his boxers. It had been a long night of rescuing, and he was exhausted. Going into his bathroom and running the shower, he couldn't help but stop and remember a particular memory.

_Clark realizes he isn't alone in the bathroom. Peering out, he sees Lois. _

"Um... we usually take turns in the bathroom"

"Oh, don't start with me, Smallville. You're the one taking the marathon shower. Besides, my delicate feminine sensibilities weren't offended the first time I got a glimpse of, uh, Clark Junior" she teased mercilessly.

Back then, he was mildly embarrassed, now, he found it quite amusing. He sorely missed those days. The playfulness is still there, but he still knew that she was keeping him at a distance, and while it's understandable, it doesn't stop him from missing her.

Back in Lois's apartment, she gravely shook the memory off, and at this point, it's become equally hard differentiating what's real and what's not. She had even gone as far as egging Clark to tell her a little bit about herself when they first met, and found that her memories were very much linked to his. As far as she could conclude, all the memories she had remembered have been real and had really happened.

Before thinking any further, she hears a knock on her door.

Opening it, "Chloe," she gasps.

They haven't seen each other since she left and come back from Smallville six weeks ago. She had wanted to talk to her while she was briefly in Smallville, but she regretfully felt like being alone and having her and Clark just deal with it by themselves. It was such a bad idea, and as soon as she was ready to see her, she had gone on a business trip overseas.

"Hi, can I come in?" Her little cousin asked nervously.

"Yeah"

"Thanks"

Lois smiles, "At least I didn't slam the door on you," she says, but then added sarcastically, "I think I've grown." She headed towards her kitchen counter to make coffee.

Chloe gives her a warm smile back, grateful that at least some things were getting back to the way it use to be.

"I'm glad you're doing well"

"Define 'Well'..." she says as she poured a hot pot into a Starbuck's mug, then handing it to Chloe. The night she broke down and Chloe was there to see it, all the hate and anger disappeared. She was happy to have Chloe back in her life, and however way it was didn't much bother her.

Taking the mug, "What do you mean?"

Lois tries not to express her frustrations over the last few weeks; she didn't want anybody to worry. She's already had enough on her plate as it is.

"Can I ask you something?" But she needed to talk to someone before she goes insane.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the question, it sounded pretty serious.

"Sure, anything"

"What was I like?" Her older cousin asked in a childlike voice. "I mean, before, when I was with you and Clark back in Smallville. What was I like?"

Lois had learned a lot of things about herself from Martha and Jonathan, and from Clark, too, but back then, even with the familiar feelings, she didn't know them. At least with Chloe, she knew a portion of who she is, or was in her case.

Instead of wondering why Lois would ask her instead of Clark, Chloe answered her question truthfully.

"Well, you were confident, uncompromising, fun, energetic, and terribly self-reliant," she mused, noting that nothing much has changed, but she couldn't help but give a hearty laugh at the last description.

"Actually, Clark hated that part about you," she added with extra amusement.

"Really," She wasn't surprised. "Which part?" Lois deadpanned.

Chloe laughs. "You were always very forward with people, particularly Clark. You know that saying 'the truth would set you free?' You two basically applied that with each other on a regular basis. You totally detested one another when you first met"

Lois is amused.

"How's that?"

"Because you were never afraid to hurt his feelings"

"What?" Lois's voice obscure.

"I'm serious. Back in Smallville, everyone in town practically thought Clark was the perfect small town boy. Selfless and kind. He got along with basically everyone he met"

"And I shot him down because of that?" she says, thinking how insensitive she must've presented herself to be. Her teenage years did err on the side of rebellious.

"No, you didn't do it to spite him or anything. You just didn't like how everyone perceives him as the perfect boy, and whenever he does something weird or out-of-character, people forgive and forget. You were just never afraid to challenge him and tell him otherwise."

"We sound like such a happy couple," she said sarcastically.

"You two are," Chloe confirmed without hesitancy. "I know you're very confused right now, but you and Clark... You meant the world to one another."

By hearing her last words, Lois crosses her arms; her expression was that of sorrow and regret. You could barely hear her next words.

"I know," she spoke, hardly audible.

"I mean -" Chloe stopped when she barely heard her speak and realized the implication of her words. "Wait, what? You know?" she says repeating her words.

Lois remained silent and just looked away.

"Lois, are you remembering?" Chloe wasn't quite sure whether she should press.

Lois turned back and looked at her with slight tears in her eyes.

"Promise not to tell?" she says so softly.

"Oh my God, Lois." Chloe closed the gap between them and held her in a tight hug. "When?" she whispered in her ear, they slowly part.

"A while now," she sadly admitted.

"This is great!" Chloe replies ecstatically, but Lois's demeanor expressed otherwise. "Isn't it?"

Wiping her tears, "I'm sorry," she tells her weakly. "It is, it's just..." she paused with reluctance.

"Just what, Lois?"

Chloe was worried; she'd never seen her look so afraid.

"It hurts... to... remember"

"What do you mean?" she wondered not understanding. "I know it'll take some time, but not all your memories are bad"

"No! It's not the memories." She stopped short before continuing. "It's what comes afterwards, or during…"

"Lois, what's wrong?" Chloe was deeply concerned now.

"When I would remember, that's when it happens. The headaches. The migraines. It takes forever for them to stop."

Understanding what she meant.

"Have you told Clark?"

She shakes her head. "I don't want him to worry"

"Lois, he's your husband"

"Don't you think I know that? He's been so great, Chloe. And he's been through so much on my behalf, I don't want him to have to go through even more problems, he's got enough on his plate as it is"

"So what? You're going to wait until your brain dead before he learns about it?" She shot back, aggravated by her cousin's pride and stubbornness.

It was only over a month ago since Lois used those kinds of words to berate Clark about secrecy and lies. That's symmetry for you.

Lois sighed. "Thanks"

"Lois! This is insane." She stopped again. "Did you just thank me?" Her ears had to be deceiving her.

"I just wanted reassurance." She put her hand on her forehead. "I'll tell Clark in the morning"

It was Chloe's turn to sigh in relief. "Oh, thank god!" She reached out again and hugged her. "It's going to be okay"

In her heart, she deftly hoped so, but in her mind, she feared the worst.

A couple of hours later, Chloe leaves and Lois are left alone once again to face her dreams alone. Taking in a couple of Nyquil gel caps, she falls fast asleep.

It wouldn't take long for the dreams to come rushing back in.

And when it did, it woke her up startled and nervous, the throbbing in her head pounding like a West Point Marching Band taking permanent residence. She gasps in pain, falling off the bed and crawling into the corner, rocking back and forth, forcing the pain to leave her head.

**Author's Interruption. WARNING! It's going to get intimate here, so beware. Turn back now or skim down if it's not your cup of tea. Seriously...**

On the other side of Metropolis, Clark awoke with a dreadful feeling.

Clark flies at super speed towards Lois's apartment, neglecting to change into his suit. Something was wrong with Lois, and in a single moment, to him, nothing else mattered.

Rushing into her apartment, Clark found Lois curled up at the corner of her room. The sight before him tore him to pieces.

"Lois," he spoke softly.

With eyes closed, she looked up. "Clark?" She couldn't share it with him right now. She knew she said tomorrow, but 2AM in the morning wasn't what she had in mind.

He didn't super speed to her side; he didn't want to frighten her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Clark was frantic. She's hurting and he doesn't know what to do. But then, he saw something in her eyes. It wasn't sadness, or anger, or even fear. It threw him off balance.

"Lois," he softly repeated.

She looked up at him once more, her eyes darting up and down.

"You're naked." Lois couldn't help but notice.

"What?" Like an anvil falling on him, he looked down and noticed she was right. He was practically naked wearing just his boxers. He knew he had forgotten something.

Embarrassed and almost blushing, "I… uh…" he felt all too much like a schoolboy all of the sudden.

"I… meant… to…" This was not the time for him to fall apart. He thought he was the one rescuing her, but it seems like it's now the other way around. "Forget it! Lois, I forgot my suit." He gave up to the embarrassment.

She laughed, and despite the situation, he was relieved as well and smiled back at her.

"I'm sorry for bringing you out here"

He shrugged. "It's no problem, I felt something was wrong. I had to make sure"

"Thank You." She gets up, but the moment she moved, Clark had come beside her like the gentleman that he is and helped her up.

"I was worried when I saw you on the floor," Clark says with concern. He moved his hand to cup the side of her face. He was mentally aware of the territorial danger he was in, but he couldn't quite get his feet to move away.

He had nothing but his boxers, and she had nothing but her nightgown. Could this night get any more tempting?

"Bad dream." She says nothing more.

They stood there, absolutely still, gazing at one another. The fear was gone. Any regrets gone. The hurt and pain was gone. All that was left was longing. And they both felt it at full force when another feeling overcame them.

And that feeling was primal.

Taking that leap of faith…

Their lips meet halfway, Clark leaned down and Lois rose for his kiss. With their state of mind, they knew it was wrong, but they couldn't stop the feeling that has completely overwhelming them.

Clark sighed and slipped his arms around Lois's waist, pressing her against him as his tongue slipped into the sweetness of her mouth. Lois's fingers trailed up the sides of his neck to bury themselves in his damp hair. She moaned softly when he pulled back briefly but then just changed the slant of his mouth so that he could deepen the kiss.

"We can't… do… this," he whispered between kisses.

"I know," she replied, her mind and body focused on one person.

"We could… regret… this later," he was completely losing himself in her warm embrace.

"You… want this," she was losing control, but she didn't care. She needed him now, needed every part of him.

"Lois," hearing her words registering in his thoughts.

Clark slid his hands down past her waist to cup her derriere, causing her back to arch and her center to press even closer to his desire for her. Lois continued his motion as she wrapped her arms around his neck for support and then wound her legs around his waist, returning his kiss with equal passion.

"I want… this too," she added breathlessly. Clark's mind gave in, his instincts and his love for her taking whatever resolve he had left and throwing all of them out the window.

She was also right; he wanted her.

He lowered her to the bed, never breaking the kiss. As his body was pressed against her, he trailed kisses all over her neck. He levered his weight up off her and hooked his fingers in the elastic neckline of her nightgown. She continued to stare into his eyes as he lowered it past her breasts and down to her waist.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, reverently leaning down to worship her with his lips. He has missed the feel of her body against his.

Lois wound her fingers in his hair. Her back bowed, bringing herself closer to him.

She sat up slightly and helped him push the boxers down his legs. Seeing him nude for the first time, Lois caught her breath. Everything about him was truly amazing. He placed his hands on both sides of her shoulders and when he lowered his body to cover hers, Lois sighed in immense pleasure. Just the feel of his bare skin rubbing against hers was nearly enough to drive her over the edge.

"Lois," he tried to get his thoughts straightened. He never could, whenever he's with her. She opened her eyes and watched Clark. His breathing ragged and his hips were moving ever so slowly, filling her to the limits and then leaving her empty and aching for his possession again. "I love you…" He took a shaky breath. "I couldn't make… myself stop… I love you so much." He moved even further into her again, causing her to gasp at the feeling. "I know you… may not…"

"Love you too," she finished for him. Lois stroked his face lovingly with her hands as he kept up the rhythm that almost made her unable to speak. "I know how I feel, Clark," she murmured. "And I don't want to feel, but I can't make it stop."

Clark nodded wordlessly and then let his full body weight settle against her as he seized her lips in a ferocious kiss. The wind that came up and breezed across their bodies couldn't cool the fiery explosion that was building. The stars seemed to explode behind Lois's eyes as she reached the heights she never had before in her life. The pulsing pleasure was just receding when she felt Clark increase the rhythm of his movements. He leaned down and sucked her earlobe as he reached his peak, and when Lois felt the shower of Clark's warmth deep inside her, she hugged him to her and her spasms started once again.

Several minutes later, Clark rolled to Lois's side and gathered her into his arms. He stroked her hair gently. "I wasn't sure if we should've gone there, you know"

Lois looked up at him, understanding etched across her face. "I wasn't sure either"

Clark cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. "Why?" He traced her kiss-swollen lips with his thumb. "I've been… I've wanted to feel this again with you for a long time." He took a deep breath. "I didn't want to push, and if I did that, I'm sorry"

Her eyes widened, amazed at how she could easily lose herself with him. "I'm not," she kissed him back, equally tender.

Clark nodded and continued to stroke her face with his thumb.

"I'm selfishly glad we did, Lois." He kissed her again, couldn't prevent himself from loving her more than he already did, and she gave in to that love. For the first time, Lois felt absolutely safe.

The next morning, Lois and Clark laid sound asleep, covered in each other's arms, the comforter laying comfortably on the ground, while on the bed, only a thin layer of linen stayed and looked like it has been strategically placed not to have too much flesh exposed.

If the first time they made love was frenzied and frantic, the second time was prolonged and thorough. The two lovers looked like they were cataloging every inch of each other's bodies.

Waking up and feeling herself against Clark's bare torso, she titled her head towards him, watching him sleep peacefully, as his breathing rise and fall steadily. She was actually happy. Being with him, she felt his strength and his passion consuming her.

Last night had been the first night where she woke up without a dream wrestling her out of hours of sleep.

Last night, she felt all the things she thought most of her life couldn't be real. She couldn't make herself regret what they had just experienced.

Slowly waking up, Clark reluctantly opened his eyes while simultaneously bringing Lois closer to him. She smiles at him adoringly.

"Hmmm," he mumbled.

"You look terrible," she whispers by his ear, teasing him.

"So do you," he shot back tirelessly.

Nibbling his ear. "Oh, yeah. How do you know that?"

"X-ray… vision, remember," he replied groggily.

Lois stopped and arched an eyebrow. "Really? You can do that?"

With his eyes closed Clark smiles devilishly. "No," he admitted with amusement. "Only works with my eyes open." So when he did, he's met with a pillow shot his way.

"Real cute, Smallville"

They both break out in little fits of laughter. Staring at each other again, somehow, the two seemed to be linked to one another, because before either of them even stopped and tried to think, they were already engulfing each other in another love match.

But then the sound of the phone ringing broke their blissful state.

Reluctantly breaking their kiss, Clark stared deathly at her phone. "I've never despised your phone as much as I do at this moment"

She chuckled. "Easy, Smallville…" she gives him a long and lustful kiss as she reached for her cordless phone. Kissing him still, she puts it to her ears.

"Hello," she greeted, a sudden heat aroused within her as Clark led kisses down her body.

"Ms. Lane, this is Dr. Carr," the man says from the other line.

"Doc…" she paused, her focus shifting. "Hi"

Clark looked up at the change. Lois sat herself up on the dashboard and listened in. She could tell that Clark was forcefully not invading her call, and she was grateful. A minute later, "I'll see you then. Thanks." She hangs up.

Clark continued to look at her with worried eyes.

"Is everything okay?"

The one thing she never wanted to do was hurt Clark.

"I've been keeping something from you"

_There's something I've been keeping from you._ Her voice played in a continual loop in his mind, deathly afraid of what she was about to say next. Clark leaves the comfort of his wife's side to stand at the end of the bed, after he had had picked up his boxers and put it on.

"That was Andrew Carr, my doctor" she continues breaking him out of his thoughts.

Clark instinctually crossed his arms, his muscles tense and his back straightening.

"What did he want?" He **had** to know.

Lois had to wince a little, his change in demeanor made him appear strong, uncompromising... Superman. Lois pulled her legs up to her chest, the covers still covering her.

"I went to see him yesterday"

"Why?" He replied monotonously.

"To take some tests." This was going to be harder than she thought. "I've been having these bad headaches lately..." she began to reveal carefully, letting one revelation out a teaspoon at a time.

Suddenly, Clark's body and face softened. One of these days, Lois would have to steal an Oscar from the Academy Awards and give it to him as a gift. _No time for jokes_, Lois scolded herself.

"Is everything okay?" He feared the worst.

"No," she blurt out quickly while shaking her head. "It's getting worse, I think." She stops to rephrase her words. "Actually, I don't just think it, I can feel it" br  
"Why didn't you tell me? How long has this been going on? Were you afraid to tell me?" Clark was throwing one question after another like a semi-automatic while Lois tries to keep a level head.

"No, I wasn't afraid," she replied earnestly. "I didn't want to tell you," she added honestly.

Clark blinked. "Why?"

"Because there's more," she says. She didn't want to be dependent on anyone, least of all, to a man that she's feeling very vulnerable to. Clark Kent has made her feels things, need things and want things she never imagined herself even capable. The power he held over her was overwhelming, and last night, solidified that.

"Lois, just tell me what's wrong"

"I remember," she spoke out ever so softly.

Clark look at her passively and initially didn't comprehend what she had said until he stopped to think. His eyes widening in shock... Could she be saying what he thinks she's saying? "Remember?" He repeated her words

She nods. "Not all... just... a lot"

"You mean, remember? Like in our life, remember?" Clark wanted to be absolutely certain.

Lois looked away shamefully. Chloe was right; she should've told him sooner, she should've taken her own advice.

"I remember our first kiss, and how completely unexpected it was. I remember how I ended up living with you and your parents after I got kicked out of Met-U." She chuckles a bit at that, her eyes glistening beautifully even with the tears fighting its way through. "Our wedding... the first time we made love..." She smiled like a teenager caught with her hands in the cookie jar. "... Long before our wedding"

Clark couldn't believe it. He was torn between complete and utter happiness and complete and utter fear that he was going to lose everything. She remembered. Lois, his wife, is remembering their life together, and perhaps, even the feelings associated with them.

But then, she still kept it from him, just when he promised he would never do it again to her. Was this punishment? A test? He hoped it was neither.

"Clark. Clark!" Lois called out. Clark turned to her, his face still expressionless. "Talk to me... please," she says once more.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I can't quite tell if you're angry or not." Normally, she was good at reading people, but Clark Kent was in a class all of his own.

"Were you ever planning on telling me?" He couldn't stop the tiny bitterness from his throat.

He was definitely angry. "Yes!" she answered him.

"When?"

"Today!"

"Before or after the phone call?"

"In general, Clark." Their exchange was fast and furious. "I planned on telling you today regardless of the phone call," she tries to explain calmly.

"How can I believe you after everything you told me about lying?"

_Dammit_, she knew that was coming. "Just hate me already!" She screamed.

"I don't HATE you!" He screamed right on back. "I can never hate you even if I tried." Clark looked around, mildly shaky before sitting down on a nearby chair. He brushed a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before saying anything further. "I can't lose you," he spoke out in an almost hushed whisper.

Lois tried to make herself move to him, but her body refused to comply.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner"

Clark stared blankly at his hands. "I almost went crazy when I lost you last time," he reveals softly. He gestures to himself. "Every day I felt like giving up... because... because a life... a future... without you in it, was a future I wanted nothing to do with." Blinking away the tears forming in his eyes, he forced himself not to look at Lois, afraid he'd lose himself in them.

"It takes a lot for me to be afraid... For so long, after everything I've been through, after everything my parents have been through, the danger became second nature to me. Then came this girl... this woman..." he catches a glimpse of his wife before turning away again. "... And she made me love everything about myself." Clark paused. "Whether I was Clark Kent from Smallville or Kal-El from Krypton," this time, he stood up from his seat and slowly made his way to her, kneeling, and staring at her intently. "It never mattered to you," he confessed with deep and pure love. "If there was anything that scared me most... it's failing you. Both as Superman and your husband."

She reached out and held his face in her hands, silent tears streaming down her face. Kissing his forehead, she laid his head gently above her stomach, brushing her hand through his hair in soft caresses. Holding onto him like her life depended on it.

The weird thing is, it did.

"You'll never lose me," she whispered lovingly to his ear, as her husband sobbed quietly against her body. "I promise"

In Smallville, Martha and Jonathan Kent are just about to leave for the store when the familiar sound of a very expensive engine of a very expensive car pulls in the driveway.

They immediately knew who it was.

Lex Luthor.

Now hitting his thirties, Lex Luthor approaches the Kent's with a calmness he has never exhibited before. He almost looked, carefree.

"Mr. Kent," he greeted, removing his sunglasses. He looks to Martha to greet her as well, "Mrs. Kent."

"Lex, what are you doing here?" Martha asks in surprise.

Jonathan protectively moves to his wife's side, a gesture not lost on Lex, yet he didn't let it get to him.

"Don't worry; I'm not here to cause trouble… I've got information I thought you should know."

"And what would this information cost us?" Jonathan Kent spat out.

Lex knew his words alone won't garner their trust, but he had to start somewhere. Lex reaches into his coat pocket to reveal a CD, and throws it to Mr. Kent.

"It's all there. All the Information gathered since the meteors fell. Unexplained events. News reporting, both legitimate and not. Profiles of every meteor-infected person. Clark Kent." He pauses. "Superman." He uttered, garnering the undivided attention of both older Kent's. "For as long as I've known your son, this family… he's done nothing but help people, even when the people in question didn't deserve it."

"How did you…" Jonathan and Martha were next to speechless.

"As soon as Superman made his presence known, it wasn't that hard to piece together. It's funny, all this time I thought Clark was the answer to everything. But he's not, and my mind's finally at peace because of it."

"I don't know what to say," says Jonathan.

Lex gazes at him a second longer. "Believe me when I tell you it isn't over," he adds receiving a look of shock from Jonathan and Martha's faces. He continues, "My father is alive and well, and he's been a ticking time bomb for Clark"

"How do you know all this?"

"Besides the fact that he's my father… I let him"

"What?" Jonathan's voice turned angry.

"I'm not going to pretend I didn't hate Clark, not to mention every other person on this planet. My father laid out his motives and I stepped back and didn't do anything. That's what I'm guilty of, and to be honest, I'm tired. Unfortunately, my father holds a different standard of stamina, and he's been on this crusade of destroying you and your family, so that's why I'm here. I'm not asking for forgiveness, I don't even expect a thank you, I just wanted you to know."

"Lex," says Martha in an almost motherly tone.

"Even if we could trust you, how do we know Lionel would ever stop? That man is crazy"

He laughs disdainfully at the truth. "In the depths of madness lies genius, and that is the ONE thing my father doesn't lack. He's even got junior doing a lot of his dirty work for him."

"You mean Lucas?" questioned Martha.

"Same one," he answered.

"Who else is involved?" Jonathan asks, finally letting down his guard. Lex is grateful, but he didn't let it show.

Lex looks away and hesitated answering.

"General Lane"

Later that morning at STARLabs, Lois held Clark's hands as they walked the halls leading up to Dr. Carr's office.

"You didn't tell me your doctor worked here?" Clark spoke through Lois's ear. He found himself thinking like Superman, always searching doors for a possible exit in case something went wrong and he needed to get Lois out of there, x-raying rooms to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, and holding tightly onto his wife's hand in fear that if he let go, the past two days never had happened.

"He's Bruce's personal physician," she explained, garnering a quizzical look from her husband. "Relax, Clark, I trust him"

"I don't doubt that"

"Then why the look?"

"I'm just surprised"

"Bruce and I have been friends longer than we were actually together. Despite everything that's happened, he's a good man, Clark"

"How well do you know him?" He instantly regretted the question as soon as it left his lips. He knew Bruce Wayne was Batman, but he often wondered if Lois knew too.

She gives him a look of uncertainty, not understanding exactly what he was implying by the question. Before she got to ask him any further about his sudden interest in Bruce Wayne, they were greeted by Doctor Carr.

"Lois," he called out as he approached them.

Lois goes to hug the doctor, much to Clark's surprise.

"How's the Mrs.?" Lois asked. The doctor raised his hand happily. "Still married," he answered. "And the kids?" she asked. "Growing," he says excitedly. The exchange brightened Clark's day. It was nice to see Lois interacting with good people, and from what he saw, this Dr. Carr seemed like one of them.

Lois turned her attention towards Clark.

"Doc, this is Clark," she introduced. Clark reached out to shake the doctor's hand when suddenly, Lois added, "My husband"

Doctor Carr stopped, their hands stopping at mid-air. He looked at Lois with a mixture of shock and well, shock. And Clark… well, he was just as surprised as the doctor.

"I didn't realize…" he looked at the tall handsome young man in front of him. "Umm… congratulations," he says very unsure of himself.

Both Lois and Clark gave out a small chuckle.

"Lois and I have been married a while," explained Clark.

With raised eyebrows, "A while?" He turned to Lois again, "I had no idea"

"You and the entire planet," she tells him. "We'd really appreciate it if you could keep this bit of information confidential"

He nods assuring her that he won't say a word. "Of course." He gestures to his office. "I've been reviewing your test results"

Lois and Clark exchanged looks of unease and Lois found herself gripping Clark's hand tighter, as Clark leaned down to kiss her forehead, reminding her that she isn't alone, and that from now on, whatever happens, they'll face it together.

Clark felt so numb on his way back to his apartment. Shortly after their visit with Dr. Carr, their editor had called them once again to look into a lead in an upcoming story. On their way to meet a source, Clark had to leave for a rescue, and even though he was highly reluctant to leave his wife, Lois had insisted that he do what he must to protect the city, and kissed him to ensure that'll she be there when he returns.

He wanted that moment to last forever.

Now back and pacing around in his apartment, he debated whether or not to give Lois a call. He wanted… no, he needed to see her and hear her voice. He stopped to look up at the only other person in the room.

"Just when I think everything's going to be okay, something happens that makes it ten times worst"

Chloe looked at him with sad eyes, understanding every word he said.

"You and Lois have gone this far," she paused. "You'll get through this."

Clark saw the hesitancy in her voice; even he knew that Chloe was having doubts. It made him even more fearful than he already was.

Holding onto a nearby chair, "My life… without Lois in it is unacceptable," he slammed the chair down so hard he broke it to pieces.

"Clark, calm down!" Chloe's voice was desperate to break through his anger – The only other time she found him this angry and fearful was regretfully, the time when she was looking into his past against his wishes.

Clark forced to calm his breathing, truly scared of losing his wife again.

"I can't," he says in defeat.

He was so near the breaking point again that Chloe tried not to look at him. It wasn't fair. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was her two best friends.

Twenty minutes later, Chloe found herself at the Daily Planet to see her cousin. She tried calling her apartment, but only got the message machine. Then she tried her cell, but apparently, it was either on silent mode or turned off, and she was far too worried for Clark to ask him to find cousin.

Exiting, she walked towards her desk, and nonetheless, there she was. Her eyes glued to the screen like a moth to a flame.

"Lois," she voiced out, careful not to scare her.

She looked up. "Chloe," she says with happy surprise, a reaction light years better than the first time she visited Lois.

The two cousins hug.

"You look – Happy," observed Chloe, noticing her cousin's smile radiating across the dim lit room.

"I thought it was about time for a change," she remarked funnily.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head honestly, but remained optimistic for her cousin's sake. "No, not really – Just as things were finally getting on track, something happens to mess with it"

"It never ceases to amaze me how well you and Clark think alike"

"Should I be worried?" she mused.

Chloe beamed. "No, not at all. It makes you two unique."

Chloe decided to keep quite a moment, unsure of how to proceed with the next question. Even though she had a good grip on what's happening, Lois and Clark have been tightlipped about it that she really didn't know what was happening.

"It's that bad, huh"

Lois's face remains indifferent at her cousin's comment. She was always better at masking her emotions than Chloe.

"We're taking it a day at a time"

"In other words, you and Clark are ignoring the problem"

"No!" defends Lois. "I prefer the word 'delaying'"

"And the difference would be..." Chloe dragged.

"Ignoring would imply avoidance and never, while delaying is more in accordance with postponement"

"Oh, come on. This is serious"

"Which is exactly the reason why it's better off dealt with later than now"

"Enlighten me, Lois," Chloe deadpanned.

"Look, Clark and I are trying to get our relationship back on track and neither of us can do that if we have to deal with all our problems at once."

"And that's understandable, but…" Chloe's eyes go wide. "Ahh!" she screamed in delight. "You and Clark are back together!" She pulls her in for another hug. Finally, it was official.

"When… how… how are you guys doing now?" she asked all at once in pure excitement.

Lois held out her hands before her, "Whoa there, cuz… one question at a time," she says. "First question… last night," she started to answer. "How'd we get together?" She stopped and grinned, her face blushing. "No comment." And lastly, "Until this morning, everything was fine"

"What happened?"

"I don't really want to get into it right now"

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh"

"Positive?"

Lois sighed before grabbing her dear cousin's hand, holding it tight.

"Everything's going to be okay"

"Why don't I believe you?"

She scoffs playfully. "Because we're stubborn," she shrugged. "And it's in our genes"

The two girls spent the rest of the time catching up with each other's lives. Besides, it had been a long time coming.

Later that night, it took Clark a couple of hours, but he really wanted to see Lois so much, he changed into Superman and found himself hovering near her balcony that he didn't even realized how he got himself up there so fast.

"You don't have to hover outside like that every time you come to see me; standing on my balcony is just as affective"

Clark snapped out of his trance and saw the most beautiful thing in the world in front of him.

"Lois!"

She arched an eyebrow, "Did you expect anybody else?"

As Superman, he slowly landed himself on her terrace. He fluttered with a very un-Superman response. "I was just…" Losing his train of thought. "I didn't think…" He paused to try again. "I missed you," he finally says.

Lois forced herself to keep a steady smile, trying her damn hardest not to blush at Clark's misuse of words and phrases. And the vision of him as Superman can do… a lot of things to a girl, let alone his wife.

"It's only been a few hours," Lois spoke softly, her voice almost teasing.

He shook his head, smiling. "More like years." Clark took a step forward, but stopped to take it back. He'd temporarily forgotten about the suit he had on.

Lois caught it though, and was flattered. He was just being careful in case someone, though highly unlikely, someone had been watching.

Daring herself, she turned back into her apartment.

"Where are you going?" Clark asked her from behind.

He watched as Lois looked back to wink at him before turning back around to walk across the living room. At the same time, she removed her business jacket and unbuttoned her blouse, allowing it to fall on the floor, making a trail towards her bedroom.

The last sight he saw was seeing her release the knot that tied her hair up and her long beautiful hair falling back afterwards.

Superman had to hold back his breath before obediently following suit.

On the balcony, he was Superman, but as soon as he walked into her apartment, in a blink of an eye, he was dressed as Clark Kent. He thanked God that Lois had tinted windows, so no one could see them inside.

Slowly making his way across the room just as Lois did mere moments ago, he made sure to follow his wife's example and trailed pieces of clothing on the floor next to hers until he made his way to her bedroom.

They both knew that what they needed was each other, right now, and without consequence. And for a night, they did so without burdening themselves with the troubles that lay ahead of them.

This night was there's.

And in the morning…

Well…

In his boxers and a t-shirt, Clark sat at the bar counter that was adjoined with Lois's stove in the center of her kitchen. He smiled happily at her as he watched his wife make breakfast.

Grabbing a piece of bacon from her frying pan, "I don't recall you ever being this good in the kitchen," he comments with a mixture of sincerity and sarcasm. Lois Lane and the word cooking in the same sentence could warrant a 'high alert' warning.

She rolls her eyes in an amusing fashion. "It took me starving in my own home to finally convince myself to take a couple of classes"

Clark eyed her in surprise. "You took classes?" He never thought he'd ever see the day that he could eat her food and actually like it.

"Ha, ha," she replied sarcastically, but knowing how badly her cooking was just four years ago, his disbelief was not without reason. "Remind me to revoke your marital privileges," she threatened lightly and with a smirk.

Clark pretended to look shocked.

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," he says in his defense, enjoying their always lively back and forth verbal repartee. Nine years later and it still hasn't gotten old.

A sudden thought hit him, and he desperately wished he hadn't.

Lois notices.

"You okay?" she asked in deep concern.

"It's nothing," he tried to wave off.

"I know I'm sort of new at this whole 'wife and marriage' thing, but I've been a journalist for a long time and I can tell when someone's not being totally truthful. Come out with it, Smallville. I don't bite"

"I don't know if I should or if I have a right to"

"We won't know unless you ask it now, won't we?" She tried her best to make him feel comfortable, but she had a feeling, that whatever it was that he wanted to ask her, the question must be sensitive.

"Have you… with someone… I mean, somebody else…" he stopped before he made things any worse. "I'm not asking this right, am I?" He looked away from her. "Let's just forget I tried to ask"

Lois remained silent as she watched Clark's inner turmoil display across his features. About halfway through his attempted question, she knew right away what had been on his mind.

He wanted to know if she had ever been intimate with anyone else.

She smiled weakly at him before moving around the counter to cup his face with her soft hands, and kissed him lightly but lovingly on his lips.

"I've never slept with anyone else if that's what you were trying to ask," she answered him honestly.

Clark looked at her intently, continuously mesmerized at the woman before him.

"You've never?"

She nods no.

"Ever?"

Lois smiles before shaking her head again, confirming once more that the only man she has ever been with has been him.

"You look surprised?" She broke the brief silence that befell them.

"I assumed…"

"That Bruce and I have been together," she finished for him.

Clark gives her a nod that he had thought about it, and even, convinced himself that they have.

She chuckles softly. "In the beginning, after I woke up from my 'fake' coma, I was too confused and a little messed up in the head that getting myself involved with anyone would just complicate things. As time went by, sex wasn't something I didn't want to use just for the sake of sex. Don't get me wrong, though, I've totally thought about it, and there were times where it nearly came to that," she stopped to breathe a little and so did Clark. She continued, "It just, never felt right, you know." She caresses his cheek. "Not like when I'm with you," she admitted without regret.

"You have no idea how relieved I am about that"

She smiled. "Consider relieving it both ways. Have you ever…" it was Lois's turn to ask the question, but remarkably, she didn't seem as nervous to ask it as Clark.

"What do you think?" he smirked. He pulled her in for another kiss, and held it there until they both noticed the frying pan going on fire.

"Oh great!" she reluctantly broke out of their embrace.

Clark stops her. "Here, let me," he insisted before blowing a small gust of very cold wind across the pan. In mere seconds, the fire was out and the smoke quickly dissipated.

"God, I love having you around," she commented to herself, but not out of earshot of her husband. She smiles adoringly to him.

An hour and a half later, a quick… umm, reprieve, and a shower, they debate how they were going to approach their workplace from now on.

Going through her purse, "So many things have been happening; we haven't even had a chance to stop and think things through"

"Like…" Clark wondered.

"Our marriage, for one," she answered. "We've led separate lives for almost six years; someone's bound to find out that there's something going on between us, especially at work in a room fool of journalist, who, by profession, are paid to be nosy"

"Then we tell them," Clark highly suggested. "We got to start somewhere, Lois. I don't want to have to hide how I feel for you – I won't."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" It seemed any plan they come up with ends up being the wrong plan.

Clark had to think of it more before answering.

"Perry"

"What?"

"Chief," he says again. "We could tell Chief. We don't have to tell everyone all at once. We could start with Chief, then Jimmy, so on and so forth"

"And you think that'll work?"

"Lois, I'd rather have the people I like know first than the other way around"

Biting her lip, she understands completely.

"Sounds like a plan"

"Not a good plan" somebody says out from across the room. Lois and Clark turned as soon as the uninvited party spoke.

Clark knew who it was.

Unfortunately, Lois did too.

General Sam Lane.

Lois stared at the figure before her coldly before directing her question towards her husband. "Tell me I'm not seeing who I think I'm seeing," she uttered without remorse.

The General twisted inside by her words.

Clark stood beside Lois, not knowing what to say. It's been years since the three of them were in the same room together, and the last time they were, it didn't start, nor end in good terms.

"What are you doing here?" Clark questioned cautiously.

"Nevermind that," Lois waved and looked at General Lane deathly in the eye. "How the hell did you get in?" She demanded forcefully.

The General remained calm.

"The door was unlocked"

"I could have you kicked out for trespassing," she says, her temper flowing out of her quickly.

"Would you have let me in if I had called for you?"

The tension in the room suddenly jumped from 1 to 10.

"You are done making decisions for me," she replied, the anger in her continues to raise an all-time high.

"I am still your father," he reminded her.

"Only biologically"

If General Lane wasn't as equally angry at the situation he put them in, he would've winced at her words.

"Maybe we should calm down and talk," Clark reluctantly interjected. He remembered all the times Lois had argued with her father during her stay with his family in Smallville many years ago, and how he was always a little hesitant to interfere. They haven't always had the steadiest relationship, and walking into their arguments can feel like you were walking into a mine field.

"What… you're taking his side now?" Lois turned to Clark in aggravation.

Clark tried not to rebuke. He closed his eyes and wished they were back in bed. "No, that's not it," he says trying to calm everyone down. "You haven't seen him in months, so I figure he's here for a reason. We might as well hear him out," he added, always the rational referee.

"Thank you," agreed General Lane.

Lois points to her father with an almost menacing glare. "Oh, don't you dare," the nerve he had to suddenly treat Clark with respect. Where was that six years ago? "You can't just come in here, disrupt our lives again and again, and expect me to just stand by and forget everything you took from us!"

"Us?" The General repeated. "You two have reconciled," he stated rather blandly. Somewhere, deep beneath all his pride and ego, he always knew they would find their way back together, no matter how much he tried to prevent otherwise.

"Don't act so surprised, it's insulting"

"Lois…"

"Don't even say my name," she shot back, her anger against him not subsiding. "I can't even look at you right now without getting sick, so just stop." She rushed towards her coat rack and pulled a long overcoat from the hook.

Clark's attention immediately drifted towards his wife.

"Whoa, where are you going?"

"It's getting a little too crowded in here," she replied while putting on her coat. Clark understood her need to put space between her and her father, and simply took the part of supportive husband by helping her put her coat on.

Cupping her face, "Come back soon," he tells her softly.

Away from the General's hearing, Lois sadly looks at Clark. "I just… can't… be in the same room with him right now. Whatever he has to say, I won't be able to keep a level head. I know how you feel about him, but…" she didn't quite know how else to finish her question.

"I'll hear whatever he has to say," Clark assured her, then kissed her softly on the lips. "I won't let him take you away from me again, I promise"

"Be careful, Clark," she whispered to him.

Her eyes showed regret for not being strong enough to confront Sam Lane together, but Clark knew the conflict she was experiencing and felt the need to protect her from it.

"I'll find you when he's gone," he says, lifting her hand to his lips before letting go.

As he watched her walk out, Clark turned around to face General Sam Lane. His calm façade remained the same.

"What do you want?"

"What do you want, General?"

"My daughter happy," he answered matter-of-factly.

Clark's calm demeanor was replaced by total skepticism. "You have an aggressive way of showing it," he scoffed.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do love Lois"

Clark would hear none of it. "I'm going to ask you again, and this time, be specific," he forewarned. "What do you want?" He seriously wanted to throw him off the ledge.

"To help you"

What the hell is he up to now, thought Clark. "With complete offense, General, I'm finding that hard to believe"

"Then why don't you tell me this… has Lois been having headaches lately?"

Clark's eyes widen, but said nothing.

"I put her through that procedure, Kent. Don't think I didn't know the risks that were involved," the General stated.

Clark's blood boiled above Earth's average temperature as he heard him utter those words. "You knew and you still put her through it"

"I was told there wouldn't be any serious repercussions"

"And you believed them?" Clark was getting angry now. General Lane consciously knew the hazards he placed his own daughter in when he took her memories. This wasn't just emotionally pain for Lois now, it's physical, and it's draining her and there has been little he, her husband, could do about it.

"I didn't know"

"Don't!" He interrupted, desperately holding his anger together. "Do you know what's happening to her?" Clark practically had to force those words out.

"Yes"

"How do we make it stop?" Clark wanted to scream.

"I don't know"

"Don't give me that answer," the young man demanded.

"I'm a soldier, not a scientist"

"And I'm neither, but I'm a man who's trying to save his wife"

"You're not a man"

"So you keep diligently reminding me," he replied un-offended by the comment.

As far as conversations go, this has been the first time Sam Lane and Clark Kent spoke so honestly with each other, even despite the backstabbing and heavy handed words.

"She wouldn't be in this position if she never met you"

"Here we go again," Clark responded to the General's underhanded accusation with an immature expression.

Clark Kent at 17 would probably put himself on a broody guilt trip, but not him and certainly not now. He's a grown man with a wife and two jobs, one of which is regularly helping people. He will not allow Sam Lane belittle him, regardless of how many stars he has on his uniform.

"You don't comprehend the seriousness of this situation"

"How many people have died by your orders, General? How many have you consciously killed with your own hands?"

"What does my duty – "

Clark cut him off. "Exactly! Duty. I've never killed anybody, but you treat me like I'm a menace to society. I didn't wake up one morning in my crib and decided to hop on a plane and fly to Earth. My home was dying, and one last act of desperation from my birth parents brought me here." Clark saw the General's face react when he revealed what had happened to his home world, but chose to ignore it and continued. "I'm not going to apologize for that, and I'm certainly not going to let you ruin Lois and I because of your inability to let her go"

"Don't go there, Kent. You don't know what you're talking about"

"And you do?" Clark argued back. "You don't know a thing about me. You've never wanted to… and I accept that, I do, but you crossed a line when you took her life away from her," and away from the family that truly loved her so.

"I did what I thought was right"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Doing what you **thought** was right never made anyone in your family happy"

"Don't push it, Kent"

"Oh I'm pushing it, alright. You're scared right now; I can see it in your eyes, I can hear your heart beating twice its normal rate. What are you so afraid of, General? Is it because I'm right or because **I am** her family?" Clark never imagined he could speak like this towards anyone, but General Lane certainly has brought out the very different human side of Clark, the human side that needs. He needs Lois, just as he needs the light of the yellow sun to fuel him.

Clark would die first before he let anyone tear them apart again.

"I'm trying to do right here"

"You can't make it right, not like this! Do you have any idea how much I love her?" When the General didn't answer. "Do you!" Clark asked him once more as the man before him remained silent. "Or do Lois and I even have an opinion?"

"The situation required me to take action"

"Stop!" Clark finally broke down and yelled at him, silencing the General, who stood surprised at his sudden outburst. Despite seeing him in his red and blue outfit on television and in the newspapers, Superman has been a far more dominant presence in the Clark Kent he's been speaking to than he ever was back in Smallville.

Clark continued, "Please stop making excuses **and** admit that you're wrong."

"Will that change anything?" the General asked weakly.

"No," Clark replied honestly. "But it's a start"

Outside, along the streets of Metropolis, Lois walked in no specific direction. She could barely picture the man who gave her life. The man that practically raised her. The man she was ashamed to call her father. After all these months, why couldn't he just have left her alone?

Walking, she is taken out of her thoughts by a familiar voice in the background.

"Lois Lane"

She stopped and turned when the voice called out to her. As if her earlier surprise visit was shocking enough, this just tops it.

"Mr. Luthor"

He smiled weakly at her. "I see formalities are in order. How are you, Miss Lane," he paused. "Or do you prefer Mrs. Kent?"

Lois was expressionless. She didn't want to play word games with anyone and just remained silent before turning to leave. Her lack of response caught Lex by surprise.

"Lois, wait!"

She stopped once more, sighing. "What now?" Her back remained turned from him.

"There's something I need to speak with you about"

Caressing her temple, a headache would do good right about now. "What?" The most unprofessional question she no doubt has uttered since getting into professional journalism.

"I assume that your father has come to see you already"

Lois's attention sprung quickly at the mention of her father. "What?" Second time she's used the term within a span of a minute. She's losing her touch. "Don't tell me you were involved in what happened to me"

Lex shied his eyes away, confirming the truth to Lois' already angry façade.

"It's a lot more complicated than that," he defended himself ever so weakly.

With an aggravated sigh, "I'm running out of tolerance, so say what you have to say before I do something I'd really regret," she threatened.

"I'm here to help you"

She chuckled an annoyed look. "Help me with what?"

"Take my father down and help you regain your life"

Shaking her head defiantly, "There is **nothing** you or anyone could do to give me back the three years that was raped from me on top of five years I've lost with my husband. So why don't you just leave us alone"

"I can't do that"

She spun around, "And why the hell not?"

"Because you're dying"

"Repeat that by me again"  
Reluctantly, Lex does what she asked. "I said your – "

"Nevermind," she cut him off quickly. "How is it that you know of my terminally ill condition?" Lois began to question, her face masked with no emotion.

_Flashback to the previous day…_

_  
After polite introductions were made, Lois and Clark sat opposite of Dr. Carr's desk, waiting dreadfully at the news of Lois's results. _

"So, doc… what's wrong with me?"

_  
It took but a single question to change the doctor's happy face to one of sadness. Clark could tell he was trying to hold off his emotions, and caught the sound of his heart beating almost erratically in his chest. That made Clark all the more nervous. _

When the doctor didn't respond, "Well…" Lois continued.

Dr. Carr takes a deep breath before placing his hands and arms above his desk. "As your friend Lois, I want to tell you that everything is going to be okay…" he fell silent as if trying to choose what words to use next.

"But…" Lois spoke out of turn.

"But…" Dr. Carr continued forth. "As your physician it is my medical obligation to tell you all the facts." He shook his head. "It doesn't look good"

_  
"Yeah, I kind of saw that coming," she says trying to hold herself together. Lois felt Clark's hand reach for hers like a lifeline. _

The three sat silently, Dr. Carr giving her the space she needed to comprehend the news he had just given. When a couple minutes pass and no one has said a word, Clark Kent broke the silence.

"What's the problem?" his voice cracked.

Dr. Carr went into detail about all that he has discovered. By the end, "Every memory you regain affects your brain, a feeling that I could only imagine feels like…"

"A migraine gone whacked," she completed with her trademark sarcasm. Though, the three had nothing to smile about.

"It's going to get worse"

_  
Lois breezed through his additional comments, intentionally not paying attention. Unfortunately for Clark, he heard every word. _

"Can you treat it?"

_  
"I don't know"_

_  
"That isn't good enough!" He spoke out of line but Dr. Carr understood his outburst and remained calm. _

Lois' head jerked sideways when she heard her husband speak at her behalf.

"Clark," she tried to speak out.

"No, Lois," he says. "I'm not giving up and neither are you!" He looked back at the doctor. "There has to be something we can do"

_  
"It's not that simple, Mr. Kent. The file she gave me had no details on the specifics of the operation. Without knowing exactly how she got there, it'll take a little more time to back step the procedure. Look, the human brain is not only the most fragile, but it's the most mysterious. These sort of procedures…" _

"Experiments," she corrected. "This is what it was. A win-win situation for the people involved"

_  
Dr. Carr was at a loss about what she was talking about, but Clark Kent seemed to know exactly what it was. For General Sam Lane, if the procedure had worked, Lois and Clark would be separated forever, and for whoever executed the procedure, they would have a live human being to test for it. Either way, the only people that lost was Lois and Clark. _

"How long?" Lois suddenly asked.

Dr. Carr knew the answer he was about to give was an answer they didn't want to hear.

"There's no time frame. Could be tomorrow, could be a few months. All I could surmise is that your headaches are getting worse and it only takes that 'one' to end it."

_  
Lois abruptly stood up. "I think I'm going to be sick." She rushed out of the office to a nearby restroom. _

Clark was just about to go after her when Dr. Carr reached for his wrists. "Leave her, Mr. Kent… give her some time alone"

_  
Clark looked at him pleadingly. "Call me Clark." He looked back at the direction his wife had left. "I have to go to her"_

_  
"She needs you to be strong for her when she can't be"_

_  
End of Flashback_

"You don't seem surprised"

Closing in on a nearby bench, Lois slowly sat down. "We found out yesterday," she says as she fiddled with her fingers.

"I'm sorry"

Her head jerked up at his direction. "I don't think you are"

Offended by the accusation. "I admit I'm no boy scout, but I never wanted any of this to happen"

"But you know who did it," she stated without question.

Lex shamefully bowed his head. "Yes"

"And you didn't do anything about it"

"No." Lois Lane sure knew how to make a guy feel like crap. "I can continue apologizing or you could let me walk you back home and talk about this with your husband **and** father."

She sighed. "Must you say the f-word?"

Even if the situation was terrifying, Lex had to laugh a bit at her attempt to damn her father. It was about the only thing he and Lois had in common.

Lois stood up, tightening her jacket around her. "I guess this is the part where I bring you to my home and prepare for World War 3." Lois announced, knowing all too well that bringing Lex Luthor to her apartment in the vicinity of both The General and her husband would no doubt create a high degree of tension and animosity.

As Lois led the way, Lex silently whispered to himself.

"Won't this be fun," he muttered sarcastically.

Making their way up to Lois's apartment, she and Lex exited the elevator and walked to her door.

Lex went immediately nervous.

"Oh, what's wrong now?" says Lois noticing him fidget with his very expensive wrist watch.

"It's been a long time since I've seen him"

"Really?" Lois faked. "That's funny, because just a few months ago, me too," she added, her sarcasm at the situation coming out at full force.

"Your distaste and lack of trust of me is noted, Lois"

She put the key into the key hole. "Just making sure you didn't forget," she returned without a sweat. Turning the knob, she is greeted by a very silent husband and well… if she must think it, father.

Clark perked up when he sees Lois enter. He hurriedly made his way to her, hugging her like there was no tomorrow.

"You're never leaving me alone with him ever again," he whispered into her ear.

Lois couldn't help but smile.

"I'm afraid that our non-guest isn't the only surprise visitor today." Clark reluctantly let her go.

"Who else is there?" Clark asks cautiously.

Lois sort of kind of waved to the side. Vana White has nothing on her. So when Lex Luthor appeared in her doorway, Clark's demeanor quickly changed.

"What is he doing here?"

"To help apparently," she returned sardonically.

"Help with what?" Clark asks dryly.

The General took the wrong moment to speak up. "With Lois's condition," the General added.

Lois annoyed at the intrusion, remembering his connection to Luthor. "Did I ask you to talk?" Lois interrupted with contempt. As the General opened his mouth to answer, his daughter beat him to the punch. "I didn't think so"

"Please, could we act like adults here?" Lex interjected.

"That'd be a first," Clark acknowledged with contempt that rivals even his wife's.

Lex tried to keep a straight face. "Don't start with me, Clark," he replied trying to attempt to reason with his once-best-friend.

In the same room, father and daughter were having their own tense interaction. "I'm just trying to help," The General spoke out determined to get through his daughter.

"You're trying to run my life… as always." Lois battled against her father with intensity. "And don't tell me I'm being immature about this, you're not the one who's dying… which by the way, I completely blame you for!"

"Then let me make it right!"

"Tell that to the fellowship of the migraine society, they never leave me alone," she scorned. She silently wished she'd have one of those headaches to prove to The General just what he had done and how far he had gone to do it.

The General turned to Clark. "Kent! Will you please talk to your wife?"

Clark turned his quarrel with Lex Luthor away and paid heed to General Lane's failure to communicate with his daughter. Communication has been a complete failure since the four of them were put in one room. All they needed now are 24-hour cameras and a sign saying 'Big Brother,' it'll surely be a ratings hit.

"Right… like she ever listens to me," he countered, which he regretted soon afterwards when Lois gives him a raised eyebrow, then a smirk. He shrugged then mouthed soundlessly, 'You know I'm right.'

"This is getting a tad ridiculous, don't you think?" Lex interfered.

All three pairs of eyes look at him disdainfully. Lex repented, raised both hands, and took a step backwards. These people, regardless of the hostility they share with one another, are still, in fact family.

Lex nodded sideways. "I'll be in the corner," he says panic-stricken and then adds, "By the exit."

Clark had to double-back for a second. He wasn't used to seeing Lex Luthor look and sound so… What was the word… relaxed. His jokes would normally sound dry and apathetic, but now there was actually some playfulness in his tone. Not the sort of Lex he was expecting.

Regardless though, it'll take a lot more than change-in-attitude for Clark to trust him again.

"I'll be in my terrace," Lois uttered loudly, getting all the men's attention. Clark rushes to her side.

"You're leaving me with them?" Clark's eyes pleaded to convince her otherwise.

"I've dealt with Lex, and I'm already related to the other one over there." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Your turn," she deduced as Clark growled in between kisses.

"Do I have to?" He complained. Honestly, he couldn't stand the people occupying their living room. Clark leaned down and touched his forehead with his wife's.

"Be brave," she assured him with confidence.

Clark smirked. "Uh-huh"

"I'll deal with him in my own time, Clark"

"Time is a luxury we don't have, Lois," he reminded her. They knew the problem had to be dealt with openly, and soon.

Lois looked away from him for just a moment. "I know," she whispered in return. This husband of hers has far too much control over her. "Fine!" she says denouncing her earlier plan. Clark immediately smiles. "But feel free to fly me out of there when things get hostile"

"Consider it done," he nodded. Taking her hand with his, "Let's do this"

Lois inhaled deeply.

"Let's"

Walking hand in hand back into the living room, Lex remained close to the door as The General just stood there… waiting. How that aggravated her so.

"Let's get this over with before I get an aneurism"

Clark's head bobbed down at Lois' remark. How she can look at the situation so calmly is beyond his understanding. He's been going crazy since they got back from Dr. Carr's clinic yesterday, and last night's interlude was about the only thing that kept his mind off it.

One excruciating hour passed. Lois had attempted to leave their presence but the speed of Clark's hand coming up to stop her prevented her from fulfilling her plan. She couldn't stand being around Lex and The General anymore than he could.

When it ended, Lois walked back out into the terrace with Clark close behind.

"Oh my God! There was far too much brain power in that room"

Clark chuckled. "Differences aside, I thought it went well"

"Always the optimist, even in the face of hopelessness," she says with a wry smile.

"Ever since I found you again, I can't help but hope for the best. We've gone this far, I'm not losing you now… or ever"

Lois stared in amazement.

"What?" Clark wondered why she was suddenly staring at him.

"You," she answered. "The way you just seem to see the best in people. It's a little overwhelming, especially for a cynic like me"

He smiles. "It's overwhelming for me too"

"How's that?"

"Even when you don't remember everything, you say things so much like you six years ago. It happens a lot. I've never told you, but there are things that you say and respond to that's kinda happened before"

"I didn't realize… I mean, sometimes I get the feeling of déjà vu, but I never really thought too much about it"

"I know we decided to take things slow"

Lois laughs playfully. "That agreement was pretty much shot to hell, don't you think."

Clark blushes before adding a comment of his own. "It's a good thing there was no contractual ink-signing involved," he says.

"Now that would be a problem," she surmised. Their bantering was always a release for them. Then, reality set back in. "We're going ahead with the plan, aren't we?"

Clark could only reach for her hand and lay a kiss gently on it, and with a voice so soft that even Lois could barely hear... "You're going to be okay," he stated pulling her in and engulfing her in a kiss that was deprived of them for one whole hour.

"Ahem," Lex hesitantly interrupted.

Lois and Clark parted and didn't want to pay attention but did anyway as General Lane appeared behind Lex Luthor, who had just hung up on his cell phone.

"It's time," The General announced.

Lois, Clark, and Lex stood before him, taking a deep breath, and dealing with what was about to come.

It's night time; the moon is hidden behind tall buildings that make up Metropolis' skyline. From the sky, the view would be spectacular, but from the ground, it is mesmerizing in its own right.

In a van not too far from one of the bigger buildings in the district, Lex Luthor pulls out a high tech military binocular provided by The General. "Doesn't seem to be closely guarded tonight," he observed through the night vision binoculars.

"That's because you're looking at the wrong entrance," Clark interrupted, lifting his wire-rimmed glasses back to the bridge of his nose with a couple of fingers. He x-rayed the place as soon as they were close enough for him to get a proper see through.

Lex scoffs saying, "Well, I'm sorry if we don't all have superhuman powers." Lex revealed to Clark earlier that night that he knew of his alien lineage. He hoped his silence was enough to earn him even a little trust back, but Clark didn't budge.

"Boys, boys," Lois intrudes playing referee. "Save playtime for the jungle gym, I have a migraine with a 10 kiloton yield going off in my head so if you please…" She looks at Clark, then Lex and then to Clark again. "Play nice"

Shutting the ignition of the van off, The General turns to his daughter in parental worry that he made sure he didn't overtly show. "Are you ready?"

"Though not from lack of choice, just lack of options, I'm entrusting my life to **you** and **Lex Luthor**," she says to her father with calm anger in her eyes. "So to answer your question, yes"

"Hey, I can hear you!" Lex complained in the back.

Back in the rear of the van, Lex turned back to Clark as they continued to prepare themselves. With the four of them in such close proximity, you could cut the high level tension with a butter knife.

"Still don't trust me, huh"

"You haven't given me a reason to," Clark simply answered.

"Coming from you Clark, I've come to really not care"

"Then stop asking, because I don't." Clark turned to the front passenger seat. "Honey, you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she responded, giving him a wink.

Clark winks back.

"Oh, please," says Lex. Seeing the two all playful together just adds even more reasons why he should really hate Clark Kent.

He just can't make himself hate him.

Both The General and Lois exits the front to join the other two in the back. Sliding the side door open, The General peruses through a black duffel bag and removes four communication devices.

"Here, put these on." He hands one to each of them.

Getting herself ready, Lois explains the plan. "Okay, according to these blueprints, we enter through a shaft in this building, from there we'll bypass security by going under it," she says tracing her steps along the paper.

"We're going in pairs," The General interrupted. "Lois will go with me"'

"Not gonna happen," Clark defied.

"Whoa, wait a second, I'd rather be paired up with Lane than Kent," Lex chimed in. For once since they've met up, he agreed with the former farm boy.

"She's my daughter and she's coming with me"

"Like hell she will, **she's** my wife, or have you forgotten already," Clark argued defiantly at the Four-Star General. He turned to his wife for support.

"He's right," she answered swiftly, getting surprised looks all around. She avoided her father's stare and focused on her husband's. "He started all this, seems fitting he should be the one to end it"

"Lois, please…" Clark pleaded with her.

Lois extended her hand to take him outside, away from everyone else. The General stood back and let her do what she needs to do to make Clark understand that this was the best way.

"Lois," he started in a whisper. "I **can't** protect you from him"

She put a hand softly to his cheek. "I can handle my father; I need you to keep an eye on Lex and do your part," she says softly. "One way or another, this is going to end tonight. I'm tired Clark… I just want us to get on with our lives"

Before Lois could remove her hand from his cheek, Clark lifted his hand to cover her own and kept it there a little longer. "Promise me you'll be careful"

"As careful as I need to be"

"Promise me," he urged.

With both hands, she pulled him towards her and kissed him with all the love and promise she could give. When they parted slightly, their lips still grazing each other, she whispers "I promise" to him before kissing him again.

Walking back to the van, The General turned to hand Lois a pistol. "I'm sure you remember how to use one of these," he says.

Lois takes it from him without so much as a flinch, snapped the clip out and pushed it back in with ease.

She eyed all three men in her sight. One she hated. Another she loved. And one she could probably never figure out even if he wrote an autobiography of himself and was put under an autopsy table.

A second later, Lois takes the lead with the General close behind, but before he could reach her side, Clark pulls him back.

"If anything happens to her," he began slowly, his voice becoming a dangerous whisper. "No army on this earth will keep you from me." Clark lets him go.

Walking ahead of him, the General smiled.

Now inside, they maneuvered themselves as careful as they could. Once they reached a fork in their road…

"Clark, you and Lex go this way, we'll meet each other at the top"

"I still think we should stick together"

"Yeah, and get captured together. No, Clark. Go!"

With one last glance, he obeys. Lex just stands there for a second completely amazed. The strongest most powerful being in the planet, if not the universe, was under the complete control of a mere human being, albeit, it was Lois Lane.

"I don't get you," Lex whispers to Clark as they walk carefully through the corridors.

Clark remains impassive, but Lex continues.

"You can be and do anything you want, but instead, you sit behind and desk and write stories and wear glasses you certainly don't need"

"News"

"What? The man speaks?" he joked.

"I write news, Lex, not stories"

"Oh, right, news, how can I forget," he remarked.

They reach a locked door. A single x-ray around their area, Clark easily breaks it open with his light push of the hand.

"Knowing it was one thing, but to see you actually do it is far different"

"This is what you always wanted to know, wasn't it? All those investigations into my life, my family back in Smallville…"

"You could've just told me"

"Right… like you made it easy for me when you're friendly one minute and a manipulative asshole the next"

"Granted, I was curious, but don't you think I deserved the truth"

"No"

Lex sighed in frustration.

At the other side of the building, Lois and her father have just made it to the top floor. After putting the sleeper hold on a couple of guards, the facility has been relatively calm and empty.

It troubled her greatly.

"Something's not right"

"What do you mean?" The General asks.

"This is Luthor owned; security would be a lot heavier, but there isn't. There was hardly any." The two reached the center of one of the rooms, the entire place was empty. "Okay, something is seriously wrong here," Lois continued to voice out her assumptions.

"Lois, I don't think…" Suddenly, the floor beneath them opened up and swallowed them whole and in mere seconds everything went dark.

"What have you got for me son?" A dark raspy but familiar voice spoke out in a distance.

The boy he had been talking to approached the two unconscious figures lying on the marble floor. He knelt down, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

"A Lane," he answered. "Both of them"

The older man stepped out of the shadow and revealed the face of an aged enemy.

Lionel Luthor.

Clark and Lex walked through the empty corridors when a feeling caused Clark to worry. "Something's wrong," he says. Lex just looked at him oddly.

"What, are you psychic now?"

He avoided his sarcastic words and closed his eyes to concentrate but he found nothing.

"Lois," he says opening his eyes with worry. "She's gone"

"What?" Lex says confused.

"I can't hear her," he expressed in deep concern; he turns to go back where they came from and used his x-ray vision to see through the walls. He saw nothing but empty spaces.

"What the hell do you mean, 'can't hear her'?" Lex questioned, following him as quickly as he could manage.

"I don't see anyone either," he adds. He was about to change into Superman when he realized he wasn't wearing his suit. "Nobody at all. No one's in this building, Lex." He turned to him; Clark's eyes a mixture of concern and anger.

Lex raised his hand in defense.

"Hey, I had **nothing** to do with that"

"I wasn't making accusations. Come on, let's go. They have to be around here somewhere"

Ten stories below the surface, Lois stirred her eyes awake, nausea threatening to spill over. The slide down was no fun at all.

"General," she called out, lifting her head as it throbbed.

"Would it kill you to call me dad," she heard a voice say in the dark.

Lois rolled her eyes and tried to face his direction. "Do you **really** want me to answer that?" she replied sarcastically, picking herself up. Clark's x-ray vision would do her good right about now… wait, scratch that, his heat vision would have added a lot more.

Now standing up, she waved her hands around in the dark, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. So far, all she could assess was that they were being held in some kind of cell.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know," her father calmly answered.

"Any ideas?"

"Working on it"

"Can't you hurry it up?" she pressed urgently. Being stuck in a cell with her father was like a nightmare come true.

"If I knew this was the only way we could have a conversation together, I would've made sure I practiced beforehand," he quipped at her, something he rarely, if ever, did. Even though she hadn't known her mother long before she died, she knew that being cousin to Chloe Sullivan had been proof enough which parent she got her wit from.

"I don't know where we are, Lo," General Lane finally admitted.

"Great! Just great!" she says dusting off her pants as she continued to maneuver herself around.

A moment later, the lights come on, blinding the cell's occupants in a submission like state.

"Ah! For God's sake!" she said aloud.

"Mm… mm… mmmm…" somebody dangerously murmured in the background. "Haven't your parent's taught you not to say God's name in vain?"

Adjusting her eyes again in the environment, she turned to the direction of the voice.

"I can honestly say… No," she answered, keeping her voice leveled. She could almost feel the General behind her when she answered her captor. "Who the hell are you? Luthor's minion?"

"Haha, funny Miss Lane, or wait, I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent right? Or are you more prone to Mrs. Superman?"

Lois was beginning to tire of the references. First Lex, now this guy. Was there a memo floating around some where? Taking a closer look…

"Lucas Luthor," her father voiced out. She had totally forgotten that she wasn't alone in the room.

She gives out a small chuckle. "Lucas," she repeated, facing the young boy. "So you're the bastard younger son of Lionel Luthor"

The boy tensed, his eyes growing angry.

Lois didn't care. Her words were her weapons, and she was going to use it.

"Shut up! You're not long for this earth," he threatened.

Lois sighed in annoyance. "Uh huh… right… I think you've been watching one too many fantasy movies. Why don't you go get daddy dearest. I'm here to talk to a man not a boy."

"Bitch"

"I'm not offended," she responded with a smirk.

"She really isn't," the General added. Lois gives him a look of 'stay out of it.' Clearly, General Lane refused. A stubborn trait that unfortunately his daughter inherited from him.

Lucas ignored them both.

"In a matter of time, this little cat and mouse game our family has been playing is going to end," he revealed mischievously.

"What would that make you? The cheese?"

Slap! Lois crumbles to the ground. General Lane burst up ready to hurt the boy when he is greeted by a .35 to the heart.

"I don't think so General." Lucas raising the gun to his face.

On the floor, Lois shook her head from the impact. Touching her jaw, she couldn't help but get a word in.

"That all you got?" she challenged him.

"Lois!" her father pleaded with her to stop provoking the boy.

Lucas hits her again, her face getting better acquainted with the floor. She began spitting out blood.

General Lane got up to attack him but Lucas got the upper hand and shot him but missed when Lois put herself between them.

"LOIS!" Sam Lane, widowed husband and father of two screamed towards his oldest daughter.

He takes her in his arms, cradling her with the most fatherly affection he had ever given her since she was born.

"Lois!" his voice cracked, it wasn't supposed to be this way.

She could barely keep it together anymore. With the headache she was feeling and the bullet that went through her stomach accompanying it, she felt her strength draining. Even hearing her father's distraught voice made her forget about his lack of parental guidance for the last fifteen years.

"Daddy," she spoke softly.

"Shh… little Lo, it's going to be all right," he whispered by her ear as he cradled her in one arm and the other hand pressed strongly down on her wounded stomach.

"I'm still mad at you," she whispered back, she struggled to breath.

A sad smile spread along her father's face as he continued to hold her. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry"

"Aww… isn't that sweet," Lucas says with a fake smile. "Makes me want to hurl," he adds without remorse. He removes a green necklace from his jacket pocket.

General Sam Lane knew what it was.

Kryptonite

Lucas throws it to the General. "Put it on her," he ordered.

"No!"

Lucas cocks his gun and aims it at his dying daughter. "Now!"

Lois cried in agony within her father's arms and he forced himself to do as he was told. He never wanted to hurt her like this, never this. His selfish pride has brought her here and now he knew was being punished.

Suddenly, the floor begins to rock like a miniature earthquake. With Lucas' gun still pointed at father and daughter, he grins at them.

"Game over"

High above them, the roaring drill-like sound drew nearer and the shakes grew stronger and before either men saw it, a whirlwind fell through.

General Lane opens his eyes widely.

It was Clark.

As the dust cleared around him, Clark stepped out and saw Lois crouched to the ground, her father holding her.

"Lois!"

Clark super sped to her side only to collapse in heaps of pain halfway to her.

Lucas takes a couple of steps toward him, smiling. "And people call you super," he scoffed.

Clark struggled to hold himself together. There is only one substance on this earth that can hurt him, and at the moment, he couldn't focus his thoughts straight enough to figure out where it's located. He lifted his head trying to focus his energy on getting to Lois when he saw the necklace around her neck.

Kryptonite.

But it was too far and too small for him to be affected.

"I'll take it from here," a familiar voice echoed before them. He stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself finally to all.

Lionel Luthor.

"It's been a long time, Mr. Kent," he sneered dangerously. He takes a glance over to a dying Lois. "Too bad, she's a hell of a journalist… but she's served her purpose"

When he heard him mention his wife, never in his entire life did Clark want to kill anybody more than Lionel Luthor right now.

The nearer the old man got, the more pain seared through his body. Where is it coming from? Lionel must have the Kryptonite on him. If he could just get it away…

"You've been a thorn on my side for a long time"

Clark coughed, he can barely hang on.

"Let me finish him off, father," Lucas interrupted.

"Patience, my son"

"Please…" Clark says in desperation, his strength waning by the second. "Lois…"

"Is dead," Lionel completed. "Soon, anyway." He kneels before a weakened Clark Kent. "Hurts doesn't it?" he taunts evilly. "To have finally found her only to lose her again. This time, you get to watch her die"

"No, no…" Clark gathered all his strength to grasp Lionel's collar.

"What's wrong, Mr. Kent?" he continued to taunt him before unbuttoning his shirt. "Looking for this…" On Lionel's chest was a thick scar and it took just a second for Clark to use his x-ray vision to see that his heart was no longer within him.

"We did some testing a few years ago. The poetic irony in it amuses me. The one thing that hurts you is the very same thing that's giving me life"

Clark loses his grip on him and collapsed once more.

Less than fifty feet away was General Lane with Lois's head gently lay atop his lap. Lucas Luthor held a gun to his head if he so much as moved.

"This is MURDER!" General Lane says to the young Luthor.

"Of which you are partially the cause," he retorts. "It's too bad," he looks down at Lois desirably. "She's a pretty girl"

Unbeknownst to Lucas, Lois held a butterfly knife in her pocket, and as soon as Lucas' attention was diverted to her father, she held the pain in her to open her knife up and embed right through his foot.

Lucas screamed out in pain and the General sweeps him off his feet, the gun skidding towards Lois's hand.

"Help Clark" Lois ordered in a soft waning voice.

"I can't." He refuses to leave his daughter's side.

She aims the gun at him. "Please!" She didn't want to argue, if he doesn't help him, they all die.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud shot was heard. Lois feared that Lionel had killed Clark but all she saw was a weakened Clark and a still body next to him, Lionel Luthor. She looks away to find Lex Luthor, a gun in his hand.

"Lex?" she whimpered, her voice losing its own strength. Her father was immediately by her side. "It's okay, little Lo, we'll get you to a hospital"

"Clark," she whispered.

The General's head snapped up. "Lex!" he yelled. "Help Clark!" He stared down at his daughter with heavy guilt. He traced her face with his hand, remembering how she so much reminded him of his long dead wife, Ellen. In a way, he kept his distance so he wouldn't have to be reminded, and now for the first time, all he saw was not his wife, but his daughter. His beautiful daughter.

With a quick tug, General Lane snaps the Kryptonite necklace off and throws it to a corner. He kept his daughter from her husband once, he would never do it again.

Back to Lex, he was lost in his thoughts as he held the gun in his hand. He killed his father. After all these years, and all the close calls, he had finally done it.

"Lex!" he heard someone call for him. When he finally snapped out of his own shock, he sees Clark grasping for air next to his dead father.

"Clark!" he rushes to his side, quickly putting his arm over his shoulders and dragging him as best and fast as he could away from the Kryptonite that infested within his father.

"Lois," Clark whispered weakly.

Lex took a moment to look up. The two people who'd struggle the most throughout this ordeal are the two who ended up fighting for their lives. Despite their differences, he's learned to be happy in his life and he didn't want this happening them.

As they reached far enough for Clark to regain his strength, he immediately took Lois away from the General's arms and into his. He takes one more look at Lionel Luthor, then Lex Luthor.

"Thank You"

"I don't deserve it," responds Lex. "But you're welcome. Go; take care of your wife"

And then he flies her off.

Lex picks up his unconscious half-brother Lucas. What nobody knew was that Kryptonite heart Lionel planted in him set off a self-destruct code of C-4s strategically placed throughout his building's foundation. Before running after them, he ordered the building's low security staff and all other people to leave the premises immediately.

Lex knew of his father's surgery years ago, and letting the bomb go off is the only gift he could give Lois and Clark and the only way to keep his secret safe. This building housed many secrets, and he wanted to bury those secrets so he could finally have some peace in his life.

**Epilogue**

_Six Months Later_

Upon arriving home, Lois parked her vehicle in the driveway. Halfway to the door, she smiled when she noticed the 'For Sale' sign up on the huge yard. She walked back and grabbed the sign, removing it from its hook. She looked at it for a moment with hope and happiness before gripping it securely under her arm and headed back to the front door.

Unlocking the door, "Honey, I'm home!" Lois walked in, grinning. She will never get used to saying that, but it nevertheless amuses her.

She walked further into the house, putting a hand on the beautiful deep dark brown staircase that led to the second floor.

The staircase faced the front door of the house, and on opposite sides held the kitchen, dining room, and if you go even further, the entertainment room and of course, the living room. She wasn't even going to start describing the other three rooms that made out the first floor.

The whole experience was still under processing.

This is their home.

Lois and Clark's home, that is.

All around, various size boxes lay atop the oak finish floor in every room.

A few months ago, Lois went through intense physical therapy after getting shot as well as dozens of test to help cure the headaches that has threatened to take her life. Fortunately, the headaches ceased. Unfortunately, she has to take medication twice a week to act as a precautionary measure until they were absolutely sure it was no longer a threat.

She didn't care at that point, she was just happy that she was alive and free to love her husband without fear that it all will be taken away.

"Hey, you're home," Clark says as he descended the stairs, a huge smile on his face. "I was just fixing up the bedroom, you shouldn't be home early, I wanted to surprise you"

She raised her eyebrows. "Surprise me? Now that's a surprise," she quipped playfully.

He gives out a hearty chuckle. "Actually, I wanted all the furniture ready before you got home." He moves in to kiss her lightly on the lips. "How'd the article go?"

"Perry's happy, and Jimmy is very insistent that we hold a house warming party once we're settled in"

He nodded in understanding. "They're still recovering from the surprise of our marriage, huh."

This time, it was Lois that chuckled. "I've got half the newsroom sending me belated wedding cards, and there's those bins filled with them from our readers since they found out."

"You're forgetting the fruit basket from the President," Clark chimed in, his face beaming. They really did get a fruit basket from the President of the United States of America.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget," she says with a wink.

The writing team between Lane and Kent has been and continues to be a surefire hit with both critics and readers. They were also the subject of much tabloid fodder and news, so when they finally went public with their relationship a month ago, the world was stunned that it flew clearly across their radar.

"So have you sent out all the invitations?"

"Every card," she says giving him a nod.

"You sure you want to go through this again, I mean, we're already married. I don't want to pressure you"

She smiled lovingly at him. "I'm not pressured. After everything that's happened, it feels right to do it again. I mean, how many times can someone say that they've fallen in love with the same man twice"

Clark kissed her passionately. "I'm never letting you go"

"I'm holding you to that, Mr. Kent," she says, kissing him back.

They're going to renew their vows, and after being apart for so many years, they deserved a clean slate. Even Lex Luthor was invited.

And with the house, it was finally nice to leave the building that housed their apartment and move into an actual home with a real yard, garage and most importantly space and privacy.

It was like starting anew.

Holding her in his arms, "Oh, my parents called. They'll be driving here this weekend," he informed. It'll be the first time they'll get to see their new home and they're both very excited about it.

Ding Dong, the doorbell rang.

"Hmm," Lois turned. "Are you expecting anyone?" She asked Clark.

"No. You?"

Lois shook her head. "You should finish up upstairs; it could be the first door-to-door salesman I can shoo away"

"Well in that case…" his eyes twinkled. "Upstairs I go!"

She laughs, opening the front door. Her eyes open wide at the person she sees behind it.

"Dad"

For the first time in an incredibly long time, Samuel Lane stood in front of her daughter dressed in civilian clothing, holding behind him what seemed to be… flowers?

"Hi Lo"

"Dad," she repeated, not quite believing what she was seeing. Though she made it clear to him that she still has a hard time getting past what he did to her, or even if she would ever, Sam understood that and works by her terms and her terms only.

She is his daughter. She always will be. It took many misguided beliefs to finally make him look up and take notice, so he wasn't about to screw it up again.

"You look… happy," he says, taking the flowers behind him and awkwardly holding it up for her to take. It was obvious that it was a gesture not done by him often.

She takes it gratefully. "I am," she responded. "Thank you for the flowers"

There was a long pause.

"I just… wanted to say hello and… and see how you were doing?" he spoke out first.

"I'm good, everything's going real well"

"And your headaches?"

"Gone"

"Your husband?" he added sincerely.

She smiled at that, and he returned her smile with one of his own, another rare act for him. "He's doing great, too. He's upstairs; do you want to come in?" She's taking a risk, but it's been half a year already and she was honestly tired of the drama and just wanted to move past the hurt and move into the future.

"Would he mind?" Samuel Lane seemed to be taking it cautiously as well. Last thing he wanted is to upset anyone.

She shook her head in honestly. "No, he wouldn't. Please." She gestured inside, closing the door as he slowly walked ahead of her. Ending up in the kitchen, she reached for a vase and placed the flowers in water.

"You have a nice home," he complimented, staring into the rooms that was in his view. Even the back yard was gorgeous, equipped with its own swimming pool, too.

"Thanks, it was pricey, but we both really wanted it"

If it had been another time, he would've jumped in and helped with any payments she would need, but he knew all too well now that if she needed help, she'll come to him herself. She's a big girl, and he knew she could very well take care of herself. The past several years have confirmed that. Probably even longer than that, and he just refused to accept it.

"I'm sure you'll manage," he replied instead.

"Lois, who's…" Clark stopped when he noticed who their company was. Even with his super hearing, he has harnessed the ability to control what he wants to hear and what he doesn't.

Clark stared at the General in civilian clothes. The same thoughts crossing his mind just like his wife's earlier.

"Hi, General," greeted Clark.

Sam kept a straight face. "Clark, it's good to see you. And formalities are unnecessary; I'm not a General anymore"

Lois looks up in surprise.

"You retired?" she asked, shell shocked. Growing up with him, she was pretty sure he'd die before giving up his rank.

"It was official two weeks ago," he replies without regret.

"Oh," she could only mutter.

"It was time to move on," he explained. "Besides, if you'll let me," he started again. "I was hoping you and I and Clark can… perhaps have lunch or something?" he asks with uncertainty. The two were distant from the older Lane and he understood why, so he was hesitant to ask in fear of rejection.

Lois and Clark stood rather dumbfounded. Lois's father, The General, is inviting them for lunch.

When Lois didn't answer, Clark took the initiative to intervene.

"That would be nice," he says to Sam while at the same time, he put a hand behind the small of his wife's back, assuring her that it's okay.

It was more of a shock to her than it was to Clark. After everything that's happened with Lionel Luthor, Samuel Lane seemed to have changed dramatically. It was a strenuous relationship at first, but he stood steadfast and wouldn't leave Lois's side after he had taken her to the hospital. He wouldn't leave until he was absolutely sure his daughter was safe.

Lois suddenly snapped back to reality. "Oh, yeah, right… that would be nice," she added.

Sam breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good, that's…" he stops to smile. "Thanks." He takes a deep breath. "I should get going; you two have been pretty busy people."

Sam turns to head towards the exit.

Clark nudges Lois and she looks at him with a 'What?' expression. 'Go' he mouthed to her, but Lois was still a little too stubborn when it comes to her father. She felt him nudge at her again and she twisted to face him, mouthing an 'Okay!' annoyingly.

Clark grinned, winning the round. Besides, she has had plenty victories.

"Hey dad," she called him out just he stepped out of the house.

"Yes"

It was no or never, Lois thought to herself. She moved a few steps toward him.

"Stay"

Sam knew his daughter well enough to know when her words don't match her feelings, but looking in her eyes, he knew she was being genuine.

He smiled once more. "I'd like that"

By night's end, Lois looked out of their bedroom balcony, looking up at the stars into the telescope Clark grew up with in Smallville. It meant too much to the both of them to have left it there.

"Honey," Clark utters softly, coming out of the bathroom all freshened up. He wore nothing but his pajama pants while Lois took the liberty of wearing his matching shirt.

She takes advantage of that a lot.

Clark stopped to look at his wife in awe, she is always so beautiful no matter what, and seeing her outside, under the blanket of the moonlight and stars was breathtaking.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he asks, joining her.

Her eye in the sight, you can see her lips form a smile. "Never better." The past few months have been like a never-ending honeymoon, neither thought would ever end. They wouldn't want it to, anyway.

"You seem distracted all day"

"I was just surprised to see him that's all," she assumed.

"Actually, I was talking about before"

She glanced at him before looking back into the sight of the telescope.

"Oh"

He leans on the rail. "Lois, is everything okay?" he asks in concern.

"I saw the doctor today," she began, her heart quickening. Clark is so naturally attuned to her that he heard her heart rate change practically immediately.

"Something's wrong?" He hoped to God he was only exaggerating.

She smiled warmly at him. It was anything but wrong. She cupped his face with her hands and pulled him in for a deep loving kiss, touching her lips with his cheeks and when she got to his ear, she whispers to him.

His eyes widen in surprise when he heard her words.

_I'm pregnant_

**The End**


End file.
